Paralyzed
by Lovenyx125
Summary: Harry and Ron went missing during the Battle of Hogwarts, leaving the fate of the world in the hands of another saviour. Five years later, their reappearance throws a wrench into the idyllic post-war lives of their friends. The pair struggle to find their footing in a world where their best friend is married to the Wizarding's World's sweetheart, Draco Malfoy.
1. The First Crack

**Paralyzed**

 **Chapter 1: The First Crack**

 ** _Disclaimer_ : Harry Potter and its characters aren't mine (tragic, I know) but this plot is.**  
 **Written for the Apples & Quills 'Happy Birthday Draco" fest.**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 _"Hurry, hurry," Hermione called over her shoulder as they sprinted past a pair of knights marching through the smoke clouds of numerous spells._

 _Only a corridor down from the Room of Requirement, they found Luna facing off with three Death Eaters. One of the Death Eaters had lost his mask in this chaos, revealing himself to be Rodolphus. Hermione didn't take even a moment to think before rushing off to aid the Ravenclaw, leaving behind her two best friends who were torn between protecting their friend and continuing on their mission._

 _"Come on, she can take care of herself," Ron interrupted, putting his hand on Harry's shoulder to push him forward. "What does a bloody Diadem even look like?"_

 _That was the last of the two boys that Hermione would see for a very long time._

 _That was the last of the muggle-born both of them would see for a not-so-very-long time._

* * *

Minerva McGonagall prided herself on the five years of peace that followed the Battle of Hogwarts and dreaded the day a shrill scream pierced the castle. She was barely a couple feet out of her office when a little boy came hurtling around the corner, yelling his head off.

"HEADMISTRESS! HEADMIST - oof!"

"What on Earth is going on, Mister Jenkins?" she peered down at the Hufflepuff who had collided with her legs and went sprawling back onto the floor.

"There's a - Ha - Harry Potter fell out of the wall!"

Her heart fell to her stomach like a stone and the budding hope she'd kept squashed in her chest perked up. Picking up her skirts, she immediately gestured to the boy to show the way and raced after him. Those were the longest two minutes of her life, the time it took for her to reach the fifth floor corridor.

Already a few students were gathered in a wide circle, hushed whispers covering up the sound of the confused boys talking. The crowd parted to let her through and she came to an abrupt stop at the sight of the Chosen One and his best friend. The two noticed her immediately, their faces lighting up at the first familiar person.

"Professor McGonagall! What happened? What's going on? Vold -" the dark-haired boy asked quickly.

"Harry," she hushed him by pulling him into her arms. He was taken aback, but returned her hug all the same. "Ronald. I'm so happy both of you are okay."

Ron awkwardly returned her hug and was stunned when she began to usher them away from the fifth floor. The crowd of students trailed behind unsurely, but McGonagall paid them no mind and didn't relax until she'd gotten the pair into her office. The portraits that line the walls were in an uproar, each having its own reaction to the two boys who hadn't been seen in a very long time.

"COWARDS!"

"HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOUR FACES -"

"DISGRACES TO THE NOBLE FAMILIES OF POTTER AND WEASLEY!"

"WHAT SORCERY DID YOU USE TO SAVE YOUR ARSES -"

With a raise and slice of her wand, McGonagall silenced all the portraits and bent over her desk to scribble out notices to all the appropriate authorities.

"Professor, please. What's going on?" Harry tried again.

"Is my family okay?" Ron questioned anxiously.

"Why are so many students here? Right after the battle?"

"Why is everything so clean and er, not broke -"

"All will be cleared up soon but not until the Minister is present. Please hold on to your questions for now," McGonagall interrupted Ron with an apologetic look.

The other two watched her silently as she attached the letters to the foot of a majestic eagle owl perched by the window. Crossing her office to the fireplace, she tossed in a fistful of Floo powder and spoke into the smoke, "Minister Shacklebolt's office."

"Minverva?" The man in the flames looked up from the paperwork he'd been examining. Getting to his feet, he crossed around his desk and crouched down before the fireplace.

"You must come immediately. Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley have been found."

"Where? How? Who found them?" he asked once he'd taken a moment to digest the shocking news.

"I'll explain everything once you arrive. I've sent word to St. Mungos to send the specialists and for the Department of Mysteries to dispatch an Unspeakable to examine the boys. I think we should wait before sending word to Arthur. It won't be easy to get answers with Molly Weasley around."

 _"Hopefully Neville manages to get a shot at the snake," Ron said as they walked quickly through the piles of stuff in the Room of Requirement._

 _"I can't believe I got the story out of Rowena Ravenclaw's daughter. That was some incredible luck," Harry exclaimed, shaking his head with disbelief._

 _"Did you see the kiss Hermione gave me just now? I think I've got a real shot now."_

 _"That's great, Ron. Not like its added pressure to defeat You-Know-Who or anything."_

 _"Bloody hell!" Ron broke off mid-laughter, gesturing to the glass cabinet he'd come to an abrupt stop before. "That's a crown. It counts as a Diadem, right?"_

 _"Oh, hell! It looks just like the one in Ravenclaw tower! It's got to be it."_

 _To check to see whether it was actually a horcrux, Harry performed an_ accio _and was pleased when it didn't work. If there's one thing he had learned the night Dumbledore died, it was that Horcruxes couldn't be summoned. Opening the doors of the cabinet, he reached in to grab the Diadem but let out a noise of surprise when it wouldn't budge. He pulled with his entire strength, but the magnificent jewellery had been magically glued to the bust it sat upon._

 _"Here, let me try."_

 _Ron pulled and pulled until his face matched his hair and he was having a hard time breathing._

 _"It's not working," Harry said, an edge of panic to his voice. "What're we going to do?"_

 _"I don't know, mate. Here, let's try together."_

 _Thankfully the cabinet was just large enough to allow them both to reach in together and claw at the sparkling jewels. Feet digging into the floor, they threw the entire weight of their bodies into their effort and sweat began to bead along their foreheads._

 _"Oompf!"_

 _There was a blinding flash of red light and a deafening scream in their ears as they lost their footing to tumble back to the ground. Barely hitting the floor before getting suck up into the cabinet, they yelled out in alarm as everything was swallowed by darkness._

"What happened with Voldemort?" Harry blurted out when he couldn't hold in the words any longer. "The battle? And - and how is the damage to the castle fixed this fast?"

Kingsley Flooed over in minutes and was performing his own diagnostic spells while waiting for the Healer and Unspeakables to arrive. So far the only ones talking had been McGonagall and Kingsley in hushed whispers.

"He's dead," Kingsley announced cautiously.

"YES!"

"WE DID IT!"

Breaking out into cheers, the two boys missed the dark looks the Minister and Headmistress were exchanging.

"You've been in the Room of Requirement all this time then?"

Just as Harry began to nod, his stomach growled loudly and Ron's followed suit. Looking sheepish, he explained, "Ron and I haven't eaten anything in days. All we had was a sandwich from the Hog's Head to last us the week."

"Week?" McGonagall whispered with a horrified expression. "Kingsley, no, they -"

"The Unspeakables will be able to tell us more. It could be some form of a stasis spell," he interrupted with a reassuring squeeze to the shoulder.

"Professor, wait, how did Voldemort die?"

"Harry, there will be time for your questions later," Kingsley said, his features somber.

"At least tell us who did it!" Ron added anxiously. "I thought only Harry could kill him."

"With the Chosen One missing, another courageous soul had to take on the role of Saviour."

"Professor, but who?" Harry asked, equal parts confused and relieved.

The Headmistress looked down at him over her spectacles with an expression akin to pity.

"Draco Malfoy."

* * *

"Everyone cover your tits and arses," a thundering voice interrupted what was panning out to be an amazing morning for Draco. "I'm coming in in three…."

Hermione's head popped out from under the cover, irritation settling over her features and she exchanged a look with him.

"Two!"

Draco let his head fall back with a groan and yelled out, "Fuck off, Blaise!"

"One!"

Wrapping the blanket around Hermione tightly as she tucked herself into his arms just in time, Draco turned his glare onto his friend who bounded into the room like an overeager puppy.

"Good morning, Malfoys," Blaise practically hollered and wrenched open the curtains, his grin as bright as the rays of sun sweeping across the room.

"Hush. Scorpius has the ears of a bat," Hermione scolded.

"What the hell do you want?" Draco grumbled, swearing when Blaise stretched out across the foot of their bed.

"Can't I just miss my favourite people in the world?" he pouted as he crossed his arms under his head.

"Go annoy your wife then."

"Are you kidding me? She'll hex my balls off if I wake her up this early," he exclaimed and shuddered. "Ever since she started her leave she's been emotional and murderous. Well, more than usual."

"Hey!" Hermione glared. "Being a human incubator is no walk in the park. And wait until the baby is born. Have you ever seen Ginny wake up before getting her solid eight hours of sleep?"

"Speaking of, aren't you glad you took on Draco's old nurse elf for Scorpy-boy and got all this alone time?

"We were until you showed up," Draco cut in before Hermione could respond and felt her body move against his when she giggled. He shot his best friend another dirty look.

"Uh, are we having a party? Why didn't anyone invite me?"

"Theo!" Blaise shouted gleefully, gesturing for the stringy man to cross the threshold.

"Good morning, Theo!"

"Do either of you have any concept of privacy?" Draco groaned over Hermione's cheerful greeting.

"Evidently not," Blaise smirked as he shifted over to make space for their newest arrival. "Hey, T-bag. How's your morning coming along?"

"Are we - is that what we're doing now? T-bag? Really?" Draco remarked lightly.

"I'd rather you not," Theo muttered as he sat down.

"Why is our bedroom being turned into a bloody zoo?" Draco grumbled.

"I don't know, Draco. You're the lion tamer here. Why don't you tell us?"

"Get the fuck out, Blaise!" he growled but couldn't help smirking a bit.

"Hey, snake charmer, what's your secret?"

"It's all in the hips, Blaise," Hermione mock-whispered.

"Damn it."

"Will you people stop?" Draco growled, throwing his arms up in the air.

"Down, tiger," Blaise purred.

"Er, two minutes. Hermione, quick question. Sorry, is this a bad time?"

"Yes!"

"Shush, Draco. No, no, Theo, what is it?"

"I just wanted to make sure we're on the same page here. You're absolutely sure you'll be making apple spiced crumble tonight?"

"Yes, Theo," Hermione said patiently, "Just as I told you."

"Oh, okay. Good. That's good. I wasn't - there wasn't really any doubt -"

"Of course not," Hermione chirped, smiling fondly at him.

"Right, right. Well, alright then. If you're sure, I can breathe easier here. Phew! Salazar, was that stressful. I couldn't sleep all night, you know? Kept going over the conversation, making sure I got it right that you said you'd make - and you know - yeah, well. Anyways. That's - that's real swell. Thanks a bunch, Hermione. You're the best."

"Are we done here?" Draco said in the utmost bored tone. "Blaise?"

"Uh, yeah. What's up?"

"Get out."

"What? Why?"

"Blaise!"

"Draco!"

"Hermione!"

All three guys turned to look at her questioningly.

Hermione shrugged. "I felt left out."

"In that case," Theo whispered and then cleared his throat. "Theo!"

"Fuck. Me," Draco groaned to the ceiling.

"I would if Blaise would just get out," Hermione coughed.

"Ugh, fine. I can take a hint."

"Really now?" Draco drawled.

"Excuse you, Draco. My therapist says that if I don't value myself, no one else will. So I'm just saying it now. I'm fabulous and you can fuck off," Blaise said coolly.

"I hate our friends," Draco said when the door closed loudly behind the Italian.

"No, you don't," Hermione said and kissed the side of his mouth. "You love them."

'I do," he said, his hand sliding up her neck and into her hair to hold her face to his. Before capturing her lips, he whispered, "And I love our life."

"Most of all, I love you," he murmured between kisses.

After another round of lovemaking, they fell back asleep well into the morning, until Scorpius crawled in to snuggle up between his parents. Leo, their three-year old puppy, bounded into the room after him and didn't hesitate to claim his space on the bed. It was this scene that the family elves were regretful to disturb as noon crept forward.

"Sweetheart, what happened to the t-shirt and pants Twinkle put you in?"

"Off!" Scorpius chanted, marching into the kitchen with Leo on his heels.

"Scorp, please tell me you didn't get your dad to change your outfit?"

"I'm Malfoy," the toddler protested. "Grandpa says I have what I want. I wear suit like daddy."

"Is everyone ready to head out?" Draco appeared in the doorway, his hair wet and his tie hanging loosely around his neck.

"Draco, did you really believe whatever reason our infuriatingly intelligent offspring gave you?" Hermione complained as she came over to fix his tie for him.

"I mean, we are going to a five-star restaurant and he can take the blazer off when we get there."

"Yes, but he's only two. He'll be uncomfortable and red-faced by the time the appetizers arrive."

"It's fine, love," Draco reasoned with a fond smile, leaning down to press a kiss to her lips. "I'll put a cooling charm on his clothes."

"Alright, but tell your dad to stop blowing up his ego. He'll be a terror by the time he gets to Hogwarts. Strutting around the halls like eleven year old you."

"But he's a Malfoy. We strut. That's what we do. Even our peacocks strut around the manor grounds, staking their territory."

"You were such a little shit," she remarked, shaking her head in horrified amusement.

"And you fell for this little shit," he retorted cheekily.

"Yeah, after I punched your head out of your arse and you fell head over heels for me."

Draco kissed the smug grin off her face, leaving behind a pout when he pulled away sooner than she liked.

"Stop, my Mommy, my kisses." Scorpius whined, pushing between the two adults.

"Let's go, before Ginny decides to revoke her favour," he reminded her, his sexy smirk at the end sending heat flashing down to her thighs. Turning to the boy bouncing on the balls of his feet impatiently, Draco lifted him into his arms and turned on his heel.

A few uncomfortably long seconds later, they reappeared at the apparition point for a restaurant that recently opened in the newer, more affluent area of Wizarding Paris. Thankfully the apparition point allowed customers to arrive out of the view of the media, a necessity as many of the wealthy patrons were celebrities or influential people.

Dinner was a lively affair, consistent laughter and broad grins lighting up their corner of the restaurant. Luna immediately regaled Hermione with a detailed account of her recent trip to Indonesia to find Troll fishes, her husband, Theo, chiming in at times. Beside his mother, Scorpius was chattering away animatedly to Theo, asking dozens of questions about the wild adventures the curse breaker went on. Ginny was quick to rope Draco into an invigorated conversation about the Holyhead Harpies' match yesterday.

"Don't know how you deal with that zoo of messy children, Neville," Blaise remarked, shivering as he thought about their own schooldays. "Remember when we used to walk around Hogwarts like we owned the place? That right there, that was my peak."

Pansy and Neville were the only single people in their tight little friend group. Though the others had a running bet on those two getting together, there didn't seem to be anything more than pleasantries. In fact, Hermione could've sworn Pansy went out of her way to avoid talking to Neville.

Hermione's nerves singed when Draco began to order a glass of wine for the both of them. She refused quickly but faltered under his questioning gaze. Thankfully, Pansy spoke up from across her, leaning forward to sneer at him, "If you must know, Draco, we're all doing a weeklong cleanse to clear up our pores. The rest of us can't just wake up looking like we got off the runway like you."

"It was one modelling campaign, Pans. Get over it," Draco laughed. "I'd suggest you find one for yourself except the circus isn't hiring. Tough luck."

"Har har, you're a real comedian, Draco," she retorted in a bored tone and covered her mouth with her manicured fingers to mock yawn. "Besides, your hair was out of place in the photos."

"How dare you!"

"He weighed how much when he was born?" Ginny shrieked at Hermione's revelation. "How do you even have a vagina left? Is it just one big gaping -"

"Ginny!" Neville gasped.

Draco wrapped his arm around the back of Hermione's chair and smirked at the redhead. "I can attest that that's definitely not the case. Quite the opposite actually."

"Draco!" Hermione smacked his shoulder but couldn't help laughing at his typical Draco response.

They left the restaurant after the main course, already having plans to meet up back at Malfoy Manor for dessert and tea. Blaise made a beeline for the bar the moment he walked in, leaving a vexed pregnant wife to glower at him while she struggled to get her heels off. Pansy snorted and held out a hand to steady the teetering woman.

"Twinkle, could you please help Scorpius with changing into his pyjamas?" Hermione asked kindly to one of the many elves swarming her the moment she entered. They were all moonstruck by her, following her around incessantly, much to Draco's annoyance. He never imagined he'd have to compete for his wife's attention with his own house elves.

"Put the crumble in the oven on low heat, thank you, Jinx. Marcy, would you kindly put my purse away and bring a shawl for Ginny once you're done putting away the coats? Eggs, has the icing cooled off by now?" she listed away as they trailed behind her.

"If someone told Hermione back at Hogwarts that she'd have a litter of house elves at her beck and call, she would've hexed them into oblivion," Neville said in amazement.

"She nearly did so to me when she found out I hadn't freed them all before having the audacity to ask her to marry me," Draco said with a snort, remembering the burns that had singed his arm hair most unflatteringly.

"Whipped," Blaise snickered.

"What was that, Blaise?" Hermione asked sweetly, coming up behind him.

"Ah!" He jumped a foot in the air and recognizing the gleam in her eyes, he quickly said, "Nothing, nothing."

"Clearly it's something."

"Just admiring your compatibility as a couple," he coughed out. Looking around for a distraction, he fought back a grin when he spotted his wife curled up by the fireplace. "Oi, Gin, did you tell Hermione about that sale they were having at Alana's the other day?"

"Oh! Hermione, you won't believe!" she squealed excitedly. "The sexiest pair of boots and they were practically a steal. Mind you, I nearly got trampled over by this skank and would you believe it, this bitch tried to take the lace dress I found. Like ripping it from my hands kind of take. I nearly hexed that stupid muggle, just ask Blaise. He had to hold me back. Right, honey?"

"Spitfire," Blaise nodded.

"Hermione once obliviated a muggle for a pair of red heels," Draco remarked nonchalantly.

"No!" Ginny gasped.

While Blaise was still deciding whether it was safe to laugh, Pansy had burst into a fit of laughter and was bent over to catch her breath. Neville and Luna didn't look surprised at all, while Theo carefully edged away a few inches.

"Some lady put these heels on hold to come back later during the day and buy. They also happened to be the last pair in her size so my lovely wife decided to make the muggle forget about them completely," he explained with a proud smirk.

"Oh, don't look at me like that," Hermione waved off. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to find heels that fit the shape of my feet?"

"That sounds exactly like something Draco would do for his designer shirts and hair gels," said Blaise, chuckling at his friend's answering scowl.

"Don't worry, Zabini, he knows if he lets that stupid hair gel anywhere close to that pretty head of is, he'll have to answer to me," Hermione assured him.

"I really can't tell if you're more possessive of his hair or he's more possessive of yours," Luna commented. "Remember when he opened your bun at your wedding reception with those grabby hands?"

"Oh Salazar, don't remind me or I'll be tempted to smack him again," Pansy interrupted with a groan. "It took me three hours to get her hair socially acceptable and another two for that hairstyle."

"Yeah, but I also specifically told you that morning that I like her hair open."

"I'm still not over the fact that ten minutes of her hair dolled up and then every bride-to-be and celebrity wanted the same hairstyle for months that followed," Ginny added.

"You two are my favourite power couple."

"See, Neville has his priorities straight," Draco pointed out and grabbed Hermione's hand as she was walking past. Pressing a kiss to the back of her hand, he gave her a questioning look.

"I'm putting on the tea and checking on the crumble," she told him, stretching her neck back to kiss the underside of his jaw.

Initially, it had been a struggle to get the elves to allow her into their domain, as the very thought of their mistress getting her hands dirty in the kitchen was utterly scandalizing. Now they graciously stepped back to let her bake and cook on occasion as long as she allowed them to help out.

Setting the teapot to boil, she stood at the sink and looked out through the wide window above it. It had been charmed to look out at a small area on the property where the family spent the most time outside. It was dark out now, as the evening grew late, but the flutter fairies chasing each other around the flowerbeds twinkled like Christmas lights.

"Galleon for your thoughts?"

"Oh, I don't know if they're actually worth that much," she said with a small smile.

"You've been distracted lately," Pansy noted. "I'm surprised he hasn't figured it out yet. He's one of the most observant people I know. It's the Slytherin in him."

"I think it's more like he doesn't want to get his hopes up."

"Understandable," Pansy nodded. "You'd think he'd at least pick up on the bump considering you're absolutely tiny and further along than last time."

"This is a silly thought, but what if he's not ready for this? After last time, makes sense that he wouldn't want to take the risk."

"You're right, that's silly. Draco loves being a father and you know he's damn good at it too."

"Yeah, but he nearly lost me last time, Pans. There was so much bleeding and if I were a muggle, I wouldn't have survived. Praise Merlin for magical healing."

"Exactly, you're a witch. Besides, your being muggleborn only improves the baby's chances at being healthy. Now come on, chin up. You're going to make that man very happy tonight with this big news."

Ginny had been kind enough to offer to take Scorpius for the night so that Hermione could build up an atmosphere for her reveal. Draco believed the redhead was having a rare moment of temporary generosity.

"Don't let him win you over for a second book before bed," Hermione warned Ginny as the redhead pulled her coat on.

"Relax, Hermione. We've got this. Remember how well we took care of that wounded bunny?" Blaise said, chuckling as he picked up Scorpius's overnight bag.

Hermione tried to look outraged, but it was incredibly difficult with her husband snickering beside her.

"The crumble was amazing, Hermione, seriously," Theo told her gravely as he gave her a quick hug. "I'm like so deeply humbled, for real."

"I'll meet you and we'll go to Diagon Alley from your office," Neville confirmed his lunch plans with Draco.

"Don't let the bed bugs bite, mommy," Scorpius told her very seriously as he hugged and kissed her goodbye.

Draco picked up Scorpius and turned away from Hermione as they whispered amongst each other. Pressing a kiss to his son's forehead, Draco put him down and nudged him towards the fireplace.

"Goodnight, Daddy," Scorpius chirped, reaching up to grab Blaise's hand as they stood side by side in the grate.

"Draco Malfoy, tell me you didn't," Pansy cackled out in laughter.

"Wait, what?"

Draco smirked and waved off his wife's questions, instead distracting her by wrapping his arms around her from behind.

"How long has it been since we've had a child-free night?" Draco remarked as Pansy disappeared in a flash of green flames.

"Too long," Hermione admitted, wringing her hands together at her waist.

He squeezed her tighter to himself, letting his head drop down and inhaling the sweet scent that clung to her voluminous curls. She felt him respond against her back and had to firmly remind herself to be patient. Disentangling herself from the affronted looking man, she bit back a mischievous smile and pulled herself just out of his reach.

"Want to take a short walk through the gardens?" she suggested.

She felt bad for the momentary disappointment in his eyes but knew the plan would be worth it in the end. Though he'd never admit it, her husband loved surprises. Having grown up as a spoilt heir whose every whim was catered to instantly meant there was more of his parents just giving him everything he wanted and less of unsuspecting, sentimental gifts.

The gardens of Malfoy Manor were her favourite part of the property, right after the magnificent library. Acres of incredible landscaping and the rarest species of plants was home to a variety of creatures. One end of the property was thick woods overlooking a large pond that contained a miniature sea monster. It had been Blaise's ace move in his yearly bet with Theo over who could find Draco the better present. Hermione had been worried about having young children around the creature but turns out the serpent beast was vegan.

Hermione led them to the small labyrinth beside the greenhouses, the couple quiet as they enjoyed the warmth of each other's arms. As they approached the arch that lined the entrance, wooden torches that stood tall on either side of the arch flared to life and the distant sound of running water could be heard.

"I love this place," Hermione whispered, her eyes misty as she smiled happily at the stone dragon perched atop a tall rock. His jaws were pulled apart but instead of fire shooting out of his mouth, it was a stream of sparkling water.

"What brought on this melancholic mood?" Draco wondered as he sat down on the edge of the fountain and pulled her to stand in between his legs.

"Just thinking about how grateful I am for you and our family."

"As am I, my lioness," he murmured, hiding his face into her neck. Given their stark height difference, the top of his head just grazed her chin and allowed him to press a kiss to her pulse.

"Draco," she giggled, squirming in his arms when his breath against the side of her neck tickled. "Hold on, I saved one last cupcake from Blaise's black hole of a stomach. Just for you. Twinkle?"

With a muffled popping sound, the house elf appeared by her elbow and held out a platter with a single cupcake sitting in the centre. He bowed and disappeared just as quick as he came after she took the confectionary treat from him.

If Draco noticed her hands shaking as she handed him the cupcake, he didn't say. Instead, he peered down curiously at the vibrant green icing.

"Is that a niffler?" he asked, his eyes already gleaming in anticipation of all that sugar.

"What? No - I - Draco!" Hermione cried exasperatedly, grabbing his wrist to pull the cupcake back towards herself. "How the hell does this look like a niffler?"

"Hermione, sweetheart, you're the craziest, ballsiest witch and you excel at everything you attempt. However, my love, art is not your forte."

"Guess again!" she scowled, a bit of impatience in her tone.

Silence fell between them, dragging by like hours even though she knew it was mere seconds. She could pinpoint the exact moment realization struck and he stiffened. The slate grey of his irises began to glisten as muted happiness crept onto the lines of his face. He looked up at her, eyes wide and expression hopeful, and asked quietly, "Is this…?"

She nodded quickly, tears already slipping down her cheeks and her teeth digging into her bottom lip.

"Are you…okay with this?"

His mouth fell open and his eyes widened comically. Just as his tears made an appearance, a broad grin stretched across his face. He jumped to his feet and pulled her into his arms. Shrieks of laughter pierced the cool night air as he spun her around.

"Am I okay with it? Am I bloody okay with it?" he choked out in between the kisses he was showering her with and the laughter bubbling out of his chest. His entire being seemed to vibrate, exuding happiness.

Pressing his forehead against hers and holding her as tightly as he could without hurting her, he murmured, "The little boy who grew up playing in this maze because it hid him from his father's disappointed gaze never imagined he could be this happy."

The fountain gurgled quietly in the back as the two clung to each other with blatant relief and a sense of belonging.

"I can't believe you thought the pacifier was a niffler."

"I can. A two year old could draw better than this - ouch! Watch it, witch!"

"I love you," she mumbled fondly against his lips.

"I love you more," he whispered.

"Not possible."

"We'll see."

"Is that a threat?"

"No, a promise."

Giggling, Hermione pulled him back in for more kisses, craving his intoxicating taste. The happiness on his face lit up his features like a soft sunrise peeking over the sparkling torrid waves. She couldn't believe this breathtakingly handsome man was all hers.

Caught up in her admiring, Hermione didn't even notice he had vanished her panties until his knuckles brushed against her swollen lips. Sticky, pearly fluid soaked his fingers and he couldn't resist removing his hand to try a taste.

"Mhmm," he moaned around his fingers. "More. I need more."

"Then what are you waiting for?" she whispered before capturing his lips with her own. A feral sort of groan rose from her chest at the taste of her desire for him. "All yours."

The grin he shot her before picking her up to place her on the edge of the fountain was absolutely wicked and sent her heart aflutter as he pushed up her dress. The cool night air caressed her pussy, leaving her shivering with want. Thankfully, Draco - the ever ready husband - was eager to plunder the source and dove in between her legs. Nipping at the insides of her thighs as he made his way to her pretty, pink pussy, he smirked to himself when her hips tried to shoot up at his ministrations. Using one hand to hold them down, he used the other to tease her clit. The sounds that escaped her when his tongue snaked into her cunt would've been embarrassing once upon a time ago. Now, Draco had made it his mission to hear her hot, little mouth make the most depraved noises, all in his name.

He serenaded her up the peak with his mouth and ripped her back from the edge at the very last second. Chuckling at her outraged cries when he stood up, he murmured affectionately, "My eager little slut," as he took off the rest of his clothes.

Hermione was leaning back on her hands, watching him undress with glazed eyes and a dry mouth. She had already removed her dress the moment he moved because she knew his tendency to tear her clothes regardless of however obscenely expensive they may be. She began to get on her knees, her eyes gleaming and tongue peeking out to wet her lips at the sight of his cock standing at attention, but Draco stopped her with a look.

"Later, definitely, I want to fuck that mouth. But right now, I need to be in you," he declared, his hold gentle as he pulled her to her feet and turned her. With a hand pressing down between her shoulder blades, he had her arse up in the air, perfectly in line with his painfully hard cock. Given the angle she was bent over at, he hesitated and leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "It's going to hurt."

She breathed out a laugh and retorted, "Pain is pleasure."

He didn't need telling twice, nor was he going to ask for permission again. His witch hated to be asked and rather preferred to be taken instead. Draco loved the nasty, filthy vixen behind her prim and proper appearance. His hungry lioness met his hips with rivaling zeal and she moaned at the subtle ache of pain that came from being bent over so far and pounded into.

"I can't wait until you're too swollen with my child to be bent over and fucked like this," he snarled in her ear, pressed down against her spine.

The keening and utterly wanton moan that she responded to his dirty words with drove him crazy. The ferocity with which he drilled into her doubled and soon enough he joined her over the crest of pleasure.

She truly was his match in every way. Their loving was the all-consuming kind that took you to the highest peak in the universe and back down to the rockiest terrain. Their souls clashed fiercely in cacophony and the air crackled from the heat of their magic intertwining. Every inch of her, from the wild mane of curls down to the tips of her toes, was his to cherish and caress. She was all his - in name, body, mind, and soul - and Draco dared anyone to challenge his claim.

* * *

 **Loved it? Hated it? Meh?**  
 **I had this plot idea a while back but it fit perfectly with my Apple & Quills _Happy Birthday Draco_ fest prompt so I just had to bring it to life.**  
 **Thank you to my lovely beta bbzelda (previously known as luunascope) for all her hard work and support!**  
 ** _Prompt: Dramione smut. Draco being possessive and yet giving. Arrogantly charming, madly in love with Hermione. Romance and Humor._**

 **Please let me know what your thoughts are in the reviews and leave me a favourite and follow if you'd like to see more. Thank you for reading!**

 **P.S. for those smart cookies who are wonder where they've read this before, I actually uploaded this to my ao3 account long before on here and completely forgot to post it here up until now :)**


	2. Aftershock

**Paralyzed**

 **Chapter 2: Aftershock**

 **Disclaimer: Harry Potter and its characters aren't** mine **(tragic, I know) but this plot is.**  
 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"FIVE YEARS! WHAT DO YOU MEAN FIVE YEARS?"

"NO BLOOD WAY!"

Harry and Ron were in a state of shock for the forty-eight hours that followed, their faces gaunt as they tried to process what they'd just lost. What had only been five days for them, had been five years for the rest of the world. They had been frozen in time while their friends and family moved on with their lives. No one was quite sure how they were trapped in another dimension where time moved differently for so long.

The first two days consisted of the white walls and crisp linens of St. Mungos, in the company of two Aurors standing guard at their door. Kingsley somehow managed to make time between his Minister duties to come by in the evenings, while Professor McGonagall checked in on their progress numerous times throughout the day. Other than that, the two boys didn't see any familiar face and were miserable the entire time.

Some reprieve came the third day when McGonagall said she would be meeting with the Weasleys that afternoon to inform them of Harry and Ron's reappearance. The boys waited anxiously, unable to focus on the game of chess they were playing. One of the Healer's assistants found an old chess set lying around and let them borrow it since they had nothing better to do except think about their wretched situation.

"You reckon mum will ground me for scaring her like this?" Ron asked Harry with a half-hearted laugh.

"Even if she doesn't, Hermione will surely kill us," he replied, smiling sadly at the mention of their best friend.

"Sucks that McGonagall won't tell us anything about their lives now. It would be nice to have a warning what to, er, expect."

"Yeah, but I think she can't, like ethically. It's not like any of them are students anymore."

That was another awful thought, one that they were both trying their best not to think about. It seemed like whichever direction they turned to for a breath of fresh air, they were suffocated instead by the pain of having lost five years of their life. Graduation, university, falling in love, marriage, children, and just living a life where there weren't any Dark wizards trying to kill them.

"Ron? Harry?"

Two distinct cracks could be heard as their heads snapped up to McGonagall standing in the doorway. She gave them a kind smile, reassuring them that the meeting had gone well. While that was a relief, there was the instant panic that overwhelmed them when she added, "Arthur and Molly are waiting outside. If you're up for it…."

"Yes!" Ron jumped to his feet, eagerness written all over his face despite the hammering of his heart. "Did they - how did they take it?"

"They're overwhelmed, understandably so. However, if you're not ready -"

"Professor, please," Harry said, coming to stand beside Ron. "Last time we saw them was at the…the Battle."

She nodded, comprehension dawning on her features as she realized that until they saw it for their own eyes, Harry and Ron's hearts would be fearful about their loved ones surviving the war. It was one thing to be told your family was alive, but a whole other to embrace them and feel the heat from the blood rushing through their veins.

"Ronald?! Ron! Arthur, look! Our baby boy! Our Ron is okay," his mother sobbed when she walked into the room, only to stop dead at the sight of them. Arthur nudged her from behind, his shaken pallor also wet with tears, and they came forward cautiously. Disbelief was still evident in their features, but the relief and pure joy was much stronger. Ron rushed forward to meet them in the middle of the room, allowing himself to be pulled into their arms.

Harry hung back nervously, watching the reunion with trepidation and an aching hunger in his chest. For them, this was the first time they were seeing their youngest son in five years. Harry was painfully aware of this and yet he couldn't help but miss the closest thing he had to a mother, a woman he last saw in midst of a battle. The memories were like raw wounds imprinted onto his mind and they refused to close. The pain was a dull throbbing in his chest and wasn't helped by the scene before him.

"Harry! Oh my poor sweet boy!"

He snapped out of his self-pitying and smiled weakly at Molly.

"Come here, son," said Arthur softly, reaching out at him with an arm to bring him into this mess of bone-crushing embraces and teary kisses that felt unlike anything Harry had ever felt before.

How could he ever have been worried about being forgotten by the closest thing he had to a family? Harry thought this as he inhaled the familiar scent of Molly's incredible cooking.

* * *

"You're bloody crazy if you think I'm going to wear that!"

Hermione sighed fondly as her husband's usual overdramatic antics ensued. She exchanged a grin with the blonde woman sitting beside her.

"It's Armani, you fool! You can't wear that with Versace! Imbeciles! The lot of you!"

"Oh dear. Perhaps you should make sure we don't end up with a lawsuit on our hands," Narcissa chuckled.

"That and he won't be able to use his fancy conditioner in Azkaban."

"Now that's the real tragedy - Draco's hair."

"Come to think of it, Eggs will be awfully pissed if we use his marvel of a garden to hide a dead body," Hermione remarked.

"And the witnesses, don't forget those," Narcissa added.

"Who are we bribing?" Lucius asked as he walked into the room.

Hermione shook her head and smirked the infamous Malfoy smirk, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "The only foolproof way to keep someone quiet is to make sure they aren't alive enough to talk."

"She's been spending entirely too much time around us," Lucius remarked. "We've corrupted the Golden Princess."

Hermione's musical laugher echoed through the halls of the ostentatious manor as she made her way upstairs to their personal wing. She found her husband threatening to hex an exasperated looking wizard and his quivering assistants in one of the guest bedrooms. He looked up at the sound of her heels when she entered the room and gave her a relieved smile before shooting a glare at the hand extended towards his hair.

"Don't you dare," he hissed at the stylist who let out a squeak and tripped in her haste to scurry away.

"Will you stop terrorizing the magazine people?" Hermione asked with a sign, gesturing for the team to take a break. "Or you'll be paying the bill for their therapy."

"Not like we can't afford it," he muttered, turning to the mirror to fret over his hair.

Hermione came up behind him, the top of her head level with his shoulders, and met his eyes in their reflection. He visibly relaxed in her presence and let his eyes fall close for a moment when she wrapped her arms around him and reached up on the tips of her toes to kiss the side of his neck.

"Your father looked like Christmas came early just now when he told me that I'm becoming too much like you Slytherins," she whispered, the edge of her mouth curling up into a smirk.

"Actually, I'd say there was already an awful lot Slytherin in you before I came along," Draco drawled, his hands coming to rest over hers around his middle.

"Oh really?" she arched a brow at her husband. "Weren't you the one complaining I was being entirely too Gryffindor last month at that charity ball?"

"Mhm, and I believe I fixed the issued as you spent the last two weeks full to the brim with this Slytherin," he leered, his eyes gleaming with the never-ending desire he had for his feisty witch.

"Did you now? Well it mustn't have been a very good remedy if I've already forgotten."

"Ah ah, my lioness. You're playing with fire," he warned, his eyes narrowed dangerously at the mischief in her ocher gaze.

"Now you're the one forgetting, husband. I'm a Gryffindor."

"By the time I'm done with you, wife, you'll never forget that you belong with us snakes," he promised before turning to capture her mouth with his.

* * *

"Good morning, Susan," Hermione chirped as she walked into the break room to grab a cup of coffee before starting her shift.

"You're back! How was the trip?" the former Hufflepuff asked as she pulled her coworker and good friend into a hug.

"Amazing," Hermione answered, shaking her head as heat flushed down her neck at the memory of being ravaged by her gorgeous husband for two weeks nonstop. "Greece is so beautiful and all of that history. Draco's family owns a small island a little off the coast and it has its own private vineyard. I can't wait to go back!"

"That sounds lovely. Though I'm surprised you didn't come back last week itself when Kingsley made the announcement."

"Announcement?" the brunette frowned, tilting her head in confusion.

"You don't know?!" Susan looked taken aback and Hermione could've sworn she saw a hint of pity in those sky blue eyes.

"Know what?"

"Hermione, I'm so sorry, I thought Kingsley would've told you before everyone else."

"Hannah, what're you -"

"They found Harry and Ron."

Hermione's jaw dropped, along with her heart and coffee mug. It was as if someone had turned up the pressure on the blood rushing loudly in her ears and black spots clouded her vision. The world around her began to spin and she was too busy trying to remember how to breathe to catch her balance. Luckily, Hannah caught her swaying form and guided her to the couch, careful to step away from the shards of ceramic.

"Hermione? Are you okay? Can you hear me?"

 _They found Harry and Ron._

Hannah crouched down in front of her and tightly gripped Hermione's shaking hands.

"Breathe. Count with me. Inhale, one…two…three…four. Good girl. Exhale, one…two…three…four…five. There you go."

 _They found Harry and Ron._

Hermione stared at the other girl in horror, her lips parted and pale like the rest of her face. An odd guttural sound escaped her throat when she tried to speak and fat teardrops began to fall with audible splats.

"Draco," Hermione finally managed to squeak out after a few minutes of counting her breathing.

A shaky nod and Hannah's silvery hummingbird patronus later, the blond came hurling out of the fireplace and immediately rushed to her side. Hannah moved out of the way to let him take over and stood back quietly with a furrowed brow. She chewed on her bottom lip and wrung her hands as she watched Hermione bury her face in his neck.

"What happened?" he asked, looking over at the other girl with worry tracing every line of his handsome face.

Hannah looked at the couple helplessly and swallowed hard before repeating what she'd said to Hermione minutes before.

The effect was immediate and drastic. The blood drained out of his face and he was lost for words as he swallowed down a tsunami of anxiety. Pushing aside his own surmounting fear, Draco gathered her up in his arms and turned on his heel, his primary concern getting her to a place she could feel utterly safe. It was a huge relief knowing that Hermione's coworker would handle things in her absence.

"Eggs," he called out loudly as he gently placed Hermione on their bed. She let out a whimper and grasped at his collar, unwilling to let him go for even in a second. When the elf popped up beside him, he said quickly, "Inform Healer Margaret that she is needed urgently and that she'll be well compensated for her time on such short notice. Let my parents know that one of them will need to pick up Scorpius and that Hermione isn't feeling well but I'll need to speak with them tonight itself."

Eggs nodded and disappeared with a short bow of his head. In the meantime, Draco raised his wand to magically change her out of her Healer robes and into a silk bathrobe lined with cashmere. Thankfully, he didn't need to wait long and a knock sounded on the door before it swung open to reveal Eggs and the Healer who had monitored Hermione's first pregnancy.

She didn't miss a beat in striding across the room and beginning a set of diagnostic spells while barking at Draco to explain the entire situation to her. It was a testament to his concern for his beloved wife that he didn't pay any mind to her demanding tone. He never would've allowed this in any other situation.

"Is the baby okay?" he asked when she remained silent after he finished talking.

"Both the baby and its mother are healthy. Hermione's blood pressure is a bit high but more than anything she is just exhausted from her panic attack and needs to rest first and foremost."

She smirked knowingly when he groaned at her words and remarked, "Like last time, I'll need you to ensure she doesn't overwork herself and especially with this additional emotional stress that is about to unfold, her health is of utmost importance for the baby. Along with the usual prenatal potions I'm prescribing two others that will regulate her blood pressure and ease the anxiety."

After seeing the Healer out and sending Eggs off to gather the list of medicines, Draco returned to his wife's side. He slipped under the blanket with her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her as tightly as possible without harming her or their unborn child. He let out a heavy breath of relief knowing that his wife was safe with him…for now. He didn't know what the following months would bring, but he knew their lives would be shaken up regardless. His only concern now was to ensure his wife and children weren't a casualty of the events to come.

* * *

" _Where the bloody hell are we?" Ron cried out, getting to his feet and looking around frantically._

" _I - I don't know," Harry said with a frown, his heart pounding and sweat coating his shaky palms. "But I don't think we're in the Room of Requirement anymore."_

" _Not in the -?! What do you mean? Where else could this be?"_

 _A large overgrowth of foliage surrounded them from every side and heavily branched trees loomed up overhead, blocking the sky from their view. The ground beneath their feet was damp and covered with intertwined tree roots and dead leaves. They seemed to have landed in a forest but something about the entire atmosphere was unsettling._

" _I don't know, Ron. Maybe the diadem was a portkey? We need to find a way back and quickly. Everyone is counting on us to find the diadem and then destroy Vo - er, you-know-who." Harry grimaced at his near slip-up, remembering how when he'd broken the taboo last time his best friend was tortured and carved into._

" _Well no point in standing around then. Let's hurry," Ron said, tightening his grip on his wand. "We've got a war to end."_

 _After an entire day of walking, both were exhausted and close to tears as helplessness descended and suffocated them. Harry was close to throwing his wand down and screaming up to the heavens when the vegetation lining their path began to thin. The morose shadows of dusk fell heavier as they neared the edge of the forest._

 _Stepping out into a clearing, Harry's heart nearly stopped at the sight of the ghost town that lay at the bottom of the hill they were looking down from. The sight of those buildings that lay in shambles was one that he would recognize anywhere, in any state of mind. Even so, Ron, who had never been to this area, read out loud the name that was written in faded white paint on a sign that was being held up on its side by a single thing chain bounded to the top-right corner of the board._

" _What the bloody hell is Little Hangleton?"_

Harry shot up in bed with a jolt and gasped through harsh sobs, the air in his lungs dragging against the insides of his lung painfully. Tears streamed down his cheeks and his knuckles hurt with the force that he gripped his blanket. Fear clenched his pounding heart and he looked around frantically, his eyes not yet adjusted to the darkness. Throwing the blanket aside, he got to his feet unsteadily and grabbed his wand before making his way to the bathroom.

He winced and squinted against the unnaturally bright lighting overhead, a jarring contrast from the dark bedroom. Had the lamp in the bathroom closest to Ron's room always been this bright?

It was an unnerving feeling to hear the silence of the Burrow at night carry into the break of day. At every other second Harry expected to hear wall-shaking explosions from the twins' room or Ginny yelling down for Molly about a missing dress of hers.

The sounds that brought this crooked house to life now were the dull cracking of Arthur's bones and Molly's hacked coughing at night. Several times he opened his mouth to ask about the others - the ones they'd left behind - but each time he bit his tongue.

"Or rather they left us behind," Harry said quietly to himself as he turned away from the mirror.

Ron had demanded to know about his siblings long before they even left St. Mungos, but his parents had responded with an awkward exchange of glances and instant changed the topic.

Ginny, oh sweet Ginny. Harry yearned to hear her lilting voice and breathe in her freesia-sweet scent. It may have been only a week since he'd seen her last, but his heart ached with the truth that was years of absence. Would she have grown fonder of his memory or had she moved on? Unlike Ron, who wouldn't stop voicing his plans to reunite with Hermione, Harry was struck mute by the very real fear of the changes that came with the passing years. Five years was no flitting moment in time, but instead an entire mantel to rest upon a lifetime. He wasn't blind to the fact that Ginny would have grown to be a mature twenty-one year old woman with a blossoming career and as beautiful as ever. Someone as vivacious as her wouldn't have sat around waiting for him, nor would the rest of the male population have been blind to her vibrant personality.

"Why can't you just let me talk to the others?! Why the bloody hell can't I owl Hermione?"

Harry sighed and went to grab his glasses before making his way downstairs to where Ron was screaming at his parents again. When would this nightmare end? What happened to the happiness that was promised to come after the war?

* * *

" _What sort of Healer will you be if you can't even take care of yourself?"_

 _Hermione looked up at the sound of his voice and smiled at the sight of her boyfriend walking into the room. Her hair was a knotted mess and the bags under her eyes stood out painfully, but his heart swelled at how beautiful she was. He placed the two mugs on the table, careful of her books and papers, and placed a kiss on her head before taking the seat beside her._

" _Coffee?" she remarked, inhaling the strong scent of the muggle delicacy that Draco had taken a liking to. "Have I told you how much I love you?"_

" _Not lately," he teased._

 _A regretful look crossed her face and she quickly said, "I'm sorry. I know I've been neglecting you and -"_

 _He cut her off with a shake of his head. "I'm just messing with you. I know how you get with exams. I mean, I helped you make that colour-coded study schedule."_

 _She gave him a grateful smile over the rim of her mug and felt her eyes water at how lucky she was to have him in her life. She'd never thought Draco Malfoy of all people could be such an understanding and caring boyfriend._

" _I'm just really stressed out. These exams are the only thing standing between that certification and me."_

" _And you'll blow them out of the water. You're absolutely brilliant, you know that?" he remarked proudly and then added with a grin, "When you're not risking your health by depriving yourself of sleep and food."_

" _Draco -"_

" _Come now, what'll people say? Draco Malfoy can't afford to feed the love of his life? Have times gotten so - ouch! Watch those hands, witch!"_

Hermione awoke from her fitful sleep with a small smile on her face and the comforting scent of her husband enveloping her. The man in question was watching her carefully, worry lining his sharp features.

"Hey," she breathed out, her voice sounding scratchy.

Before she could say anything more, Draco helped her lean up against his chest where he sat with his back against the headboard. He reached around to grab her a glass of water and held it up to her lips.

"Thank you," she whispered and craned her neck up to kiss the underside of his jaw.

"You scared me," he murmured, his hand tightening on her hip.

"What happened?" she asked.

His brows furrowed. "You don't remember?"

"I - I…," she paused, seeming lost in thought for a moment before fear took over her features. "They - Draco, they found…."

"I know, love," he said softly, rubbing his thumb over her hip bone. "I sent an owl to Kingsley so we'll know what's going on soon enough."

"Oh! But Scorpius -!"

"Shh," he interrupted her and pulled her closer. "My parents will pick him up. You just relax please. For the sake of the baby, if not yourself."

Her hands immediately went to her lower abdomen and his other hand came to rest over both of hers protectively. There was the faintest of bumps underneath their hands, but its presence was more tangible than anything else.

"Is the baby okay?"

Draco nodded, his heart clenching painfully at the thought of losing yet another child. "Healer Margaret has prescribed lots of rest for you and the little one."

Hermione frowned but didn't say anything, knowing by his death grip on her that her husband was terrified.

They fell into a peaceful silence each revelling in the security and love of the other's presence. Moments like this were rare for the couple as they were always busy with family or work.

"Poor Hannah must be freaked out by my reaction," Hermione finally said.

"Worried, more like it," Draco scoffed gently. "Anyone in your shoes would've responded the same way."

She nodded but looked unconvinced as she continued, "I don't know how I'm supposed to respond in a situation like this. I never thought…" she broke off with a heavy sigh.

"I know, baby, I know."

And that was the truth - Draco did know exactly what her unspoken words meant. It had taken years for her to finally stop waiting with bated breath and crying at every birthday or wedding. She had finally stopped looking over her shoulder and started enjoying her life to the fullest. They were happier now than ever before, their family growing, spending time with their close knit group of friends, and their careers booming. Now it all came to a grinding halt with the five dreaded words.

 _They found Harry and Ron._

* * *

"What do you mean they found Potter and Weasley? How the fuck? Like where did they suddenly appear from? And why? How?" Blaise punctuated his furious tirade by throwing his glass across the room. Draco had waited for his friend to get a few sips of whiskey into his system before breaking the news to him and the aftermath lay on the ground in shards of crystal.

Draco shrugged, staring morosely at the amber liquid in his own glass. Between taking care of Hermione and telling Blaise, he hadn't really had the chance to properly digest the news himself. His mind was numb of any anger…or any emotion at all.

"We've got to do something."

"Do what?" Draco questioned with a blank stare.

"I don't know! Do…do something! Put our Slytherin minds together and -"

"And what, Blaise? Have them assassinated? _Obliviate_ Hermione and Ginny? We can't do anything."

"Well, we have to figure out something. If you think Potter and the Weasel will leave us alive when they see…I married his sister and Potter's ex. I'm fucked, Draco. Double fucked."

"And I stole Potter's entire family. The girl he considered to be a sister, Black's family home, and…and you know…most of all. Fuck! That's a triple threat right there. Not to mention, Weasley was in love with Hermione. That fucker hated - no, hates - me. My whole family, in fact. Always has, always will. I'm literally the last person whom he could tolerate being with Hermione."

Blaise exhaled loudly and fell back into the couch he had leapt up from in alarm just moments ago. He eyed the bottle of whiskey on the coffee table before hunching over his knees and throwing his head in his hands.

"The last thing my extremely pregnant wife needs is this…this insanity. Both our wives are incredibly strong, but if Hermione broke down like this then I worry for what Ginny will do when I tell her."

"Do you think maybe it's better if her own parents were the ones to break the news to her?" Draco suggested, but Blaise immediately shook his head.

"If they had wanted to, they would've told us by now. You told me Kingsley said they've known for two days now? I don't even know what to think of that."

"Chill out, Blaise. They just reunited with their missing youngest son. The last thing on their minds is informing the rest of the family."

Blaise eyed the blond warily and wondered, "Since when is Draco Malfoy so thoughtful?"

"Hermione." An adoring smile lit up Draco's face and he chuckled under his breath. "She makes me want to be someone she'd be proud to stand by." Looking up to meet Blaise's eyes, he added, "Seeing Hermione in such a weak state today….I was terrified of losing my child. Not even bigger than a bean yet, but the thought of any harm coming to it was like being _Crucio'd_ all over again by Aunt Bella."

After gaping at him for a brief moment, Blaise exclaimed, "Hermione's pregnant?"

Draco nodded, biting his lip to contain his grin.

"Holy shit! Congrats, man! Come on, we gotta drink to this."

"Is this really the time, Blaise?"

"To celebrate? Always! We'll figure this shit out, Draco. Don't you worry. Weasley and Potter can't take our families from us. We will never allow that to happen."

Draco gave him an odd look, which Blaise returned with a shake of his head.

"We're possessive fuckers, you and I, Malfoy. We'd _Avada_ anyone who tried to take what's ours and you know that full well. Fortunately, our wives are just the same and you know they would maul any bastard who tries to harm their family - whether it be The-Boy-Who-Lived or their own flesh and blood."

Draco threw back the rest of his drink, savouring the burn that went down his throat, and stood up to his full height. Allowing a faint smirk to grace his lips, he turned to his best friend to say, "Alright. Let's do this. Time to do our favourite thing. Pl - "

"Er, fuck?"

"What? No! Blaise, I mean plot."

"Oh. Hmm, that does make more sense. I never took you for the type to occasionally swing the other way."

"Even if I was - which I'm not - but if I was, it definitely wouldn't be with you."

"Rude! Was that necessary?"

" _Shut up_ , Blaise."

* * *

"Say the word and I can have their entire memory wiped off the face of this Earth before the end of the week. Twenty four hours if you just want them to vanish…once again."

Lucius's offer was completely unsurprising and came from genuine concern for his family. Watching his wife hiccup out a laugh between her quiet sobs, Draco didn't have the heart to do anything more than roll his eyes. Narcissa was more gentle in her approach and reminded the couple that the glass cabinet in the west corner of the library contained seventy-two different types of poisons.

Tensions were running high and the mood in the living room low when Blaise's head popped into the fireplace. Zabini Manor was one of the few locations connected directly to the Malfoy living space instead of just their hall of fireplaces. Recognizing he was interrupting a Malfoy family meeting, he quickly said, "Owl from the in-laws. Everyone is meeting us at my place," and disappeared.

"I'll just…I'm just going to go wash my face," Hermione said, standing up and hurrying out of the room.

"Don't worry about Scorpius and just focus on coming up with a plan to deal with this messy situation," Lucius said. "I had always hoped that Potter and Weasley would never crawl out of whichever hole they were hiding in."

"Didn't we all," Draco snorted, but nodded all-the-same. "Just make sure he doesn't close his door or else Leo will be scratching to get out of the bedroom come dawn."

The somber atmosphere only increased in intensity when they Flooed into Zabini Manor. Exchanging worried glances, they followed the sound of yelling all the way to the main living room. Blaise was pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace, yelling out the occasional intelligible word in midst of profanities. Neville stood by the window, arms crossed over his chest as he looked out at the gardens with a gaunt expression. Theo, looking just as haggard, sat in an armchair with his hands resting on either armrest and he stared dead ahead. Ginny was lying across the sofa, tucked tightly under a blanket with her feet resting on Pansy's lap. The Slytherin girl was looking as irate as ever but even more so, she seemed uncharacteristically uncomfortable.

"Hermione!" Pansy jumped up with a shout and rushed over. Ginny opened her eyes at the sound of her friend's name and struggled to pull herself up to a seated position until Blaise stopped his pacing to help her.

Draco let go of his wife's hand to let Pansy pull her into her arms. His heart ached at the sight of Hermione bursting into tears again as Pansy held her and rocked her in a soothing motion.

"Where's Luna?" Draco asked quietly, giving Theo a firm pat on the back as he did.

Theo mumbled under his breath and Draco didn't ask again.

"What're we going to do?" Ginny asked, her voice sounding broken.

"We'll figure it out, Gin," Hermione whispered, hugging her tightly as she spoke. "We'll figure it out."

Pansy stood back, watching the scene with apprehension and wringing her hands. Her eyes met Draco's and he understood immediately why her usual grace had been replaced by awkwardness. The missing pair had been his enemies for his entire school life, but Pansy's interactions with them were limited. Last she saw of them was when she yelled out in the Great Hall to give Potter over to the Dark Lord. It was a moment of weakness that plagued her still, however much less since she'd apologized to Hermione, and the return of Potter would only mean the return of her nightmares.

"The lady elf with the beard recommended this tea to calm down the baby," Luna's quiet melodic voice broke through their mournful silence and everyone turned to watch the haunting blonde beauty float into the room with a tray levitating beside her. "Oh, Hermione and Draco. Have you heard the news? It's…not as reassuring as I had expected it would be."

"That's because we were so happy and building our lives, not caring we were creating their worst nightmare," Ginny mumbled miserably.

"And why should we?" Neville interjected with furrowed brows. "We're happy, are we not? We followed our hearts, we made friendships that will last."

"It's immature to base important life choices on house rivalries from our teenage years," Pansy added slowly and then nodded at the end. "Yes, just think of all the years we already missed out on because of this whole Slytherin and Gryffindor mess."

"Draco would've asked Hermione out years ago if it weren't for this stupid rivalry. After he saw her at the Yule Ball, if not when she punched him."

"I don't know, Theo. My head was so far up my pureblood arse that I wouldn't have done anything except stare from afar and curse my father," Draco remarked, meeting Hermione's gaze with a sad smile.

"What has happened is meant to have happened…and it did. Potter and Weasley cannot change that. They can only accept it," Pansy said firmly.

"But will they?" Ginny asked in a small voice.

"They have to," Neville responded. "Otherwise they lose us."

"Neville is right," Hermione spoke up, swallowing hard. "It's not as if we'll leave our families and friends just because they aren't okay with them."

"But my brother…he, he won't," Ginny whimpered and burned her face into Hermione's shoulder.

Blaise's face pinched up and Draco saw a flash of pain cross his face before he stormed out of the room. Sighing at the sound of Ginny sobbing, "Blaise!" loudly, he cursed under his breath and followed his friend.

"I'll - I'll go check on him," Draco sighed over his shoulder as he walked out.

Last he heard before getting out of hearing distance was Luna asking, "Will you really let them make you choose between your husband and brother?"

* * *

 **Ah, many apologies for how late this chapter was. I'm still trying to get in the swing of writing often and I was on vacation for a bit as well. Hopefully, the following installations will be quicker. I have many plans for this fic and some juicy plot twists waiting in my arsenal.**

 **If you liked this chapter, be sure to leave a like and a review telling me what you particularly enjoyed (or didn't enjoy lol). Any ideas as to what you think happened to Harry and Ron for 5 years? Also, isn't Draco the sweetest?!**


	3. Galvanize

**Paralyzed**

 **Chapter 3: Galvanize**

 _Disclaimer: Harry Potter and its characters aren't mine (tragic, I know) but this plot is._ _  
_ _Enjoy!_

* * *

"I can't lose her," Blaise said furiously. "I won't!"

Draco found him pacing in his study, the fireplace ablaze with Blaise's anger and the air taut with fear. Knowing words of reassurance would have little effect on his best friend, Draco sauntered over to the cabinet behind the desk to pull out two crystal glasses and a bottle of Odgen's finest. The dark-haired wizard took the offered glass and chugged down the amber liquid without batting an eyelash.

"She's - ugh - just no. No way in hell will I allow my wife to leave me just so her prat of a brother doesn't get his feelings hurt."

"I feel you, man."

"What does she think this is? Those vows were for life and here she is…."

"I hardly think her family would sit back and allow that to happen. Your in-laws will back you up and eventually Weasel King will have no choice but to accept you. Her parents and brothers love you, Blaise, and they know you cherish her more than that specky git ever could." When his friend didn't look convinced, Draco added with a sigh, "Ginny isn't stupid, Blaise. She won't leave you and her unborn child for a brother who disappeared at the cusp of the war. Besides, she's got plenty of those and none of them disappeared. Except for that skinny one that looks like he's just waiting to call the MLE on anyone who dares make a joke."

"Percy," Blaise corrected offhandedly. "I know you're right, man, but she hasn't even come face to face with him and is already freaking out about hurting him. My feisty wife has never been one to not stand her ground for what is hers, but here she is caving."

Draco snorted and shook his head. "Look at me trying to reassure you when I'm filled with the same crippling fear. What if my wife loves those two more?"

"What if we aren't enough?" Blaise whispered.

"Exactly. I may have offed the Dark Lord but that doesn't change the fact that I have that bloody mark on my arm. I'm still a sinner and I have the audacity to love an angel. I've always known Hermione is too good for me."

"I'm no better than her brother. I ran to Italy to save my own arse while Ginny stayed and protected Hogwarts. Fuck, I'm the gum stuck to her heels." Blaise moaned in despair.

"I thought I was supposed to be the anxious one," Theo remarked dryly, leaning against the doorway. "Salazar Slytherin would be ashamed to call you his own if he saw you now."

"Wasn't he a paranoid old man?" Draco asked with a perfectly arched brow.

Theo shrugged and used his wand to close the doors to the study behind him as he made his way over. He refilled their glasses and poured himself one, sipping from it slowly before speaking.

"Enough of this Hufflepuff heart-to-heart bullshit. It's time to do what we Slytherins do best. Sch-"

"Fuck?" Blaise offered.

"What? No!" Theo snapped. "I meant scheme."

"Oh, right." The Italian looked disappointed.

"What is wrong with you?" Theo asked, shaking his head. "The two of you need to get ahold of yourself, seriously. Draco, you're an asshole. Embrace that. Blaise, deal with your repressed psychosexual feelings."

"While that may be the particular trait that seduced Hermione, I fail to see how it will help here."

"She loves you for your asshole? And you say I'm the one with weird psychosexual feelings?" Blaise shuddered.

"That's because you're overthinking it. Instead of freaking out that Potter and Weasley are back and wreaking emotional havoc on your wives, just focus on the fact that two sons-of-bitches - no offence to Molly, she's a doll - will try to split up your families," Theo continued. "All the pieces are on the board where we need them to be."

"Pieces? What - ? Draco, what is he talking about?"

Draco nodded slowly, stroking his chin at he mulled over Theo's words. His features began twisting into his patented smirk as an idea took root in his mind.

"It makes sense, Blaise. While Potter and Weasley have been doing Merlin-knows-what for the past five years, we've been building our legacies. Any leverage those two may try to use to their advantage is already in our pockets. Our families, the Weasleys, the Ministry, and pretty much the entire Wizarding World - it's all on our side of the chessboard. They have no leg to stand on except for their tattered reputations," Draco explained, feeling lighter than he had in days.

"That and the fact that you two need to give your wives more credit. They're fierce Gryffindors and it won't be so easy to tear their loyalties away from their families," Theo added.

"But you heard Ginny —"

Theo cut him off sharply. "She's in shock, Blaise. Like all of us were at first. You two have had slightly longer than her to adjust to this unexpected news."

"Not to mention, seriously hormonal and thinking with her tear ducts. When Hermione was pregnant with Scorpius she thought I was cheating on her because I accidentally got her a blueberry croissant instead of a chocolate one."

Theo shuddered. "I'm so glad Luna wants to wait until we find a fertility fennel locust infestation to have children. The last one was twenty years ago in Chile so I don't expect to find one anytime soon."

"Okay, so what's the plan? We need to devise a plan or I will lose my mind," Blaise said seriously.

"At times like this, I wish I smoked cigars. It would fit the part of the dashing rogue plotting to save his heroine," Draco said with a sigh, staring into his empty glass before placing it down on the desk and walking over to the fireplace. As Blaise's temper quelled, so did the flames and now all that remained was a low fire that glowed behind crackling wooden bars. "First off, we need to remain ahead of the game and that means having an ear in every corner."

"Fortunately, Draco's unique position as the champion of the Second Wizarding War and a talented Auror provides us with an in," Theo remarked.

"I'll pay Kingsley a visit tomorrow and find out what the situation is. He knows how much this impacts Hermione so he ought to be expecting me. The biggest question right now is where Potter and Weasley were for these five years."

"I'm surprised he hasn't owled you yet but you're right that he is probably expecting you, Draco. If they spent the first few days of their return in St. Mungos then it must be serious. I can't imagine what would warrant…." Theo trailed off, seemingly lost in thought.

"Also see if he has any suggestions as to how to handle the reunion. I'm drawing a blank here. Ginny's blood pressure shot up just from hearing of their return and the Healer put her on bedrest. I don't even want to imagine what a face-to-face meeting will do. She can't Apparate or Floo in her condition and I highly doubt Ronald will come to a Zabini property happily."

"Ronald?" Draco snorted.

"It's getting awfully confusing calling him Weasley or her brother considering there's so many of them." Blaise shrugged. "Of course there's that slim chance they've kept up with our lives and have had time to accept it."

The blond scoffed and shook his head incredulously. "Or they found out recently and popped out of their hidey-hole to cause a riot."

"Whatever it may be, only time will tell." Blaise sighed. "Until we know the circumstances surrounding their return, we can't really flesh out a plan."

"Luna and I will try to find out what the media knows so far. You'd think there would be an article out by now but more than likely someone is being kept quiet for the time being," Theo said, nodding to himself. "Are you two over your insecure freakout now?"

"We're not insecure!" Blaise insisted

"Honestly, how the hell do you live in perpetual fear of your wife leaving you? It's a miracle you lot haven't bound them to the bed," Theo said, arching an eyebrow at him.

"Of course I've done that. But it was a lot kinkier than you're making it sound." Blaise pouted.

Both of them turned to look at Draco, who grinned and retorted, "My witch is a freak. I'm a lucky, lucky man."

* * *

"Ginny is really upset," Hermione said softly, looking up from the book she had been reading since they returned from Zabini Manor half an hour ago. She could see the bathroom mirror from her perch on the armchair by the window.

Draco, who was brushing his teeth, met her eyes in the reflection and said, "Blaise is terrified."

She nodded. "Understandably so."

"Is it?" He stepped out into the doorway separating the rooms.

"Well he's scared to lose her," she responded, brows furrowed.

"Should he be?" Draco challenged quietly.

Hermione was frozen by the piercing look with which he pinned her, waiting for a response. When none came, he turned and went back into the bathroom. Staring at the empty doorway, she felt her heart rate pick up as icy fear began to seep into her bloodstream.

When Draco walked back into the room minutes later, the pale look on his wife's face was a dead giveaway to her thoughts. Half of him longed to go to her side and pull her into his arms. His instincts screamed to hold her close. His heart, however, ached to escape. This woman was the very air he breathed, but right now the sight of her was an iron fist to his lungs.

"I've got paperwork to finish before bed," he managed to utter before slipping out. The hurt look on her face would haunt him for nights to come but he was one breath away from being a collapsed house of cards.

Instead of heading to his study, he made his way downstairs, out onto the grounds, hidden in the darkness of the night. His feet carried him along a path as familiar as his own reflection. Eventually, the cobblestone path gave way to a cluster of flower beds, circling around a marble headstone that stood in the shadow of a large cherry blossom tree.

As he crouched down before the grave, his outstretched fingers traced the name 'Orion Malfoy.'

"Hello, son," he murmured. "We miss you so much."

The breeze picked up, leaves rustling in the backdrop to the hooting owl.

"I lost you and now I'm scared that I might lose your mother as well." The white marble swam in his vision as hot tears pooled in his eyes. Not bothering to wipe them away, he continued, "Your mother's closest friends in school…they left for some time and it broke her heart. They've returned now and they won't approve of this life we've built together."

He barked out a short bitter laugh. "I know, the thought of your bold-as-brass mother needing approval from others is...laughable…but these two meant a lot to her."

The arms of the cherry blossom shook in the wind, raining down upon him a flurry of pink petals.

"You're right, Orion. Unfortunately for them, Malfoys protect their own and most certainly do not share."

The burden on his shoulders was lighter as he made his way back through the grounds. Visiting Orion always quelled the chaos in Draco's mind and filled him with solemn clarity. He was truly grateful for everything he had and most of all, he was grateful to have Hermione. She was the first break of light as the sun peaked out over the horizon. It was with her that his redemption truly began, for without her, he'd never have dared forgive himself. She wrenched him out of his self-hatred and forced him to give himself a chance. Without her, he'd have a shadow of the incredible life he had now and most certainly, he wouldn't have his amazing family.

The boy who was forced to serve the Dark Lord as a punishment for his father's sins never imagined in even his wildest _crucio_ -induced fever dreams that he'd have such a loving wife who was his perfect half and a close circle of friends who stood by him. He'd be a fool to not understand the gravity of what he had or to allow it to slip through his fingers. And Draco Malfoy was no fool.

Theo was absolutely right about one thing - Draco was an asshole and there wasn't a shot in hell of him letting them take what was his. Regardless of whether or not he believed he deserved Hermione, Draco knew he made her happier than anyone ever could and he owned her heart.

* * *

"The Minister is on a Floo call at the moment and will be with you shortly, Mr. Malfoy," Cassandra, Kingsley's secretary, informed him as he took a seat in the outer office.

Draco nodded and turned his attention to the copy of the Daily Prophet that was lying on the chair beside his. A quick skim revealed that Potter and Weasley's return was still being withheld from the public.

"Draco, how are you?" Kingsley greeted, standing in the doorway with a tired smile on his face.

They shook hands and Kingsley clapped him on the back as he followed Draco back into his office.

"I apologize for not making an appointment beforehand but you understand how dire the circumstances are," Draco began.

Kingsley nodded. "I do and that's why I told Cassandra to keep an eye out for you and notify me immediately of your presence. My sincerest apologies that you had to owl me yourself when you found out. I intended to visit you in person to tell you personally, but as you can imagine, things have been insanely hectic around here. Between that and the Chinese Ministry threatening sanctions because of the Agricultural Mandate that the Wizengamont has been pushing for the past year, I am bloody well about to lose my mind."

"I know that feeling all too well." Draco sighed.

"How did you even find out? The Aurors assigned to this case have been under strict instructions to keep it under wraps and even so, you've been out of the office for the past two weeks." Kingsley settled himself in the chair behind his desk and indicated that Draco should take the seat across from him.

"One of the Healers informed Hermione on her first day back," he replied in a hard voice.

Kingsley swore. "I'm so sorry, Draco. How is she doing?"

"Not well," he admitted, something he would never have done if Kingsley weren't such a close friend of the family. "She's having nightmares again and the Healer said to keep her away from any stressful situations for the baby's sake."

"Baby? Is she - Draco?" Kingsley gasped. Draco couldn't hold back his grin as he nodded. "That's wonderful news! I'm so happy for the both of you! I'll have to drop by and congratulate Hermione in person," Kingsley exclaimed with a beaming smile.. "What are the odds you can convince Hermione to relax on a private island until after she gives birth?"

"Less than the Dark Lord coming back to life." Draco scoffed and then frowned at the look of utter dismay on Kingsley's face. "Why? Is it that bad?"

The Minister let out a heavy breath and held Draco's gaze as he quietly explained, "The reason Potter and Weasley were admitted to St. Mungos is because they've been frozen in time, so to speak."

"Excuse me? What?"

"While it has been five years since their disappearance for the rest of the world, it has only be five days for them."

"What do you mean _five days_?" Draco sputtered. "How is that even possible?"

"We don't know exactly how all of this happened, but I have my best Unspeakables on it and so far what they've found out is that the pair were trapped in some sort of place where time was slowed down. Immensely so. What was a year for us was only a day for them."

"Where was this? And why now? What changed?" Draco managed to choke out as the realization of what this news meant poured over him like hot coals. His heart hammered in his chest so viciously that he could hear the blood rushing through his ears.

Kingsley hesitated, his eyes flickering towards the doorway. Draco understand immediately. The Minister was not at liberty to divulge the details of the case. However, with his family in danger, Draco couldn't afford to play by the rules.

"Minister, it goes without saying, but if anything were to happen to my wife or unborn child, I would hunt Potter and Weasley down and tear them limb from limb. I'll make Bellatrix's torture methods look like child's play and afterwards, I'll personally escort myself to Azkaban."

To his credit, Kingsley didn't look alarmed, but he also know without a doubt that Draco wasn't exaggerating in the slightest. Saviour of the Wizarding World he may be, Draco Malfoy was raised as the son of a chief Death Eater and his magical skills were honed by Voldemort himself. Now he was one of the best Aurors on record and knew exactly how to work around the law. Draco knew that Kingsley knew that Hermione's love for Potter and Weasley would not be enough to save them. There wasn't a force on Earth that could protect them from Draco's wrath if they dared hurt his precious wife.

"My initial stance was that I cannot allow you to officially work this case due to a conflict of interest and I was going to ask you to help out in the capacity of a consultant. However, I think an exception needs to be made. You were there five years ago, in the heart of the war. You were the one to destroy Voldemort and you have knowledge that would be key to this investigation," the older wizard said after a moment of careful deliberation. "With that being said, I need your assurance, Draco, that you won't allow your personal feelings to cloud your judgement. One of the reasons you're one of our best Aurors is your ability to compartmentalize and apply cool logic in the face of adversity."

Draco kept his gaze locked on Kingsley's to convey that he understood the severity of the situation.

"I'm sure you remember the inquiry that was run after Voldemort was killed. I know it was a confusing time and with the Ministry in a disarray, we never really got any leads, At the time, all the focus was on finding out where Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley had gone, but it was actually your wife who brought up the most important question —"

"How did I kill Voldemort without destroying all his horcruxes?" Draco finished for him. At Kingsley's surprised expression, he added, "Hermione and I discussed this at a great length…at first."

"I see. Did you find out how?"

Draco shook his head. "The only plausible answer we could think of was that Potter and Weasley must have destroyed the diadem before disappearing. Since we couldn't access the Room of Requirement anymore, we had no way of checking for the horcrux and without knowing Potter and Weasley's side of the story, we really don't know what actually happened."

Kingsley nodded thoughtfully. "I hope the time has come for us to get answers. Strangely enough, it was the Room of Requirement itself that Potter and Weasley came out of last week. I've yet to check but I suspect the Room of Requirement will be available from now onwards."

"They were stuck in the Room of Requirement all this time?" Draco raised an eyebrow at that, equal parts confused and disbelieving.

"This is why I believe you would be a great asset to the case. You spent months inside the Room of Requirement so I'd dare say you know that place better than anyone. After being checked over in St. Mungos, Arthur and Molly took Harry and Ron home with them. None of the Aurors or the Unspeakable handling this case know more than the bare minimum about horcruxes so I've had them hold off on bringing the boys in for questioning. Actually, I was hoping that someone with a wider knowledge of horcruxes would be able to help out."

"No way," Draco refused, his tone sharp as he shook his head adamantly.

"Draco, please. She's the only person who knows more about horcruxes than Dumbledore did."

"I don't care. She's under enough stress as it is and she hasn't even met those two in person. I will not risk her health or that of our child."

"Harry and Ron are aware that it's been five years since the war ended. They cannot expect the world to have remained the same in all that time."

"Really, Minister? You're telling me that Potter and Weasley aren't going to blow their top when they find out about us? If it's only been two weeks since the Battle of Hogwarts for them, then I can bet you every galleon in the Malfoy vaults that they are still immersed in their prejudices. In their eyes, I'm still the big bad Slytherin who tried to kill Dumbledore and let all the Death Eaters into Hogwarts. According to them, just a month ago I was watching Hermione be tortured on the floor of my home."

"You defeated Voldemort. Surely that makes up for your past transgressions, of which the entire Wizarding World is aware that you were forced to carry out under duress."

Draco laughed darkly. "You're forgetting, Minister. Harry Potter had no proof of my being a Death Eater in the sixth year and yet he nearly killed me with a dark curse. The only fucking reason I'm alive today is because Severus - the only person who knew how to stop the curse from killing me - found me in time. Another minute and I would've died. Hermione told me all about Potter's side of the story. He had no remorse for his actions. His only regret was losing his bloody textbook."

A heavy silence hung between them.

"The war changes people," Kingsley said quietly after a moment.

"The war changes those who face the consequences of their actions. Potter has never had to deal with those consequences because bloody Dumbledore sheltered him his whole life. He ought to have gone to Azkaban for attempted murder but he got off with just detention. That isn't the only time either. He's spent his entire life as the Chosen One where his every mistake is forgiven and someone else pays the price. His friends were the ones who suffered in the Department of Mysteries because of his rash actions. Hermione already paid the price for him breaking the taboo on the Dark Lord's name. I won't allow her to pay the price for his hatred of me too."

Draco's anger towards Potter was nothing new for Kingsley as they'd gotten drunk together many times. Potter was a sore point for the young Malfoy even after all these years.

"I understand that what I'm asking of you is a lot and I am with you in that I don't wish to place Hermione in the risk of any harm - physical or emotional. But I also know that she is safer with you than anywhere else and so I propose that you be by her side in any interaction with Harry and Ron."

Pressing his lips together into a thin line, Draco considered it.

At his hesitation, Kingsley added, "How about this…we see how they behave upon meeting Hermione and if it doesn't end in utter disaster, then we bring her onto the case as a consultant?"

"If those two manage to not upset her too much and behave reasonably mature, then I'll consider allowing them to see her again in a professional capacity," Draco countered.

Kingsley nodded, chuckling as he did. "She will maim you if she finds out that you _allowed_ her to do anything."

"I'd rather she be pissed at me than heartbroken because of those two fools."

"Very well. To be quite honest, I'm surprised the Weasleys haven't organized a reunion yet."

Draco sighed, his body releasing some of its tension as they moved onto a slightly lighter topic of discussion.

"I suspect Molly and Arthur wanted some time with their long-lost son before it all goes tits up. Besides, Ginny is stuck on bedrest for now so that definitely puts a stopper on any planning."

"It would if you're wanting a mass reunion," Kingsley pointed out. "That could be very overwhelming for Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley."

"Or it might just distract them from the fact that Hermione and Ginny married Slytherins."

Kingsley nodded in agreement. "I could always arrange to have Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley meet you in a professional setting first."

"You want to risk someone seeing them at the Ministry? Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of all this secrecy? A reporter catches wind of their return and the entire salacious drama will be printed for the world to see. I can't imagine a worse way for Potter and Weasley to find out everything than from the newspaper."

"There's no easy way of doing this. No sensitive approach to exposing them to the lives you've all been building for five years."

These parting words of Kingsley's stayed in the forefront of Draco's mind as he left the Minister's office and rode the elevator down to Arthur Weasley's office. While Draco was frustrated that they hadn't been able to determine the best way to handle the situation, he knew that it was a decision that couldn't be made without one particular man. Kingsley was right in that there was no way to spare the feelings of Potter or Weasley. The fact of the matter was that they had lost the last five years of their life, and in their absence, their friends and families had moved on. It was a painful truth to bear for the two Gryffindors regardless of the choices everyone else had made. Arthur was hunched over his desk, scribbling furiously on an open folder. At the sound of a sharp knock, he looked up and smiled when he spied the blond in the open doorway.

"Draco! Am I ever so glad to see you. Take a seat, son. What brings you down here?"

Draco arched a perfect brow at that and Arthur chuckled.

"Of course, of course. I've been wanting to check-in with you. See how you're handling all of this," Arthur added softly.

In all the hectic mess of the past few days, it had escaped Draco that while many of them were reeling at the news of Potter and Weasley's return, two people were not. Arthur and Molly had just regained a son. It wasn't terrifying news for them - quite the opposite. Despite the exhaustion that was evident on the older man's face, his eyes were alight with contentment. The constant burden that had seemed to always rest on his shoulders was gone, allowing the man to move and breathe lighter.

"As can be expected." Draco shrugged with a smile that could easily be mistaken for a grimace. "How are you? How is Molly taking it? I can't imagine how happy you must be."

"I keep waking up in the middle of the night thinking it was just a dream," Arthur admitted. "Molly has to physically restrain herself from fussing over him, both of them. The boys, I'm not sure if you know, but they - they…."

Taking pity on Arthur's struggle to piece together the words to explain this bizarre situation, he cut him off with, "I know. Kingsley told me."

Arthur nodded to himself and looking uncomfortable, he continued. "For them it's only been two weeks since they last saw us and you know how teenagers can be. They think we're being overbearing and they're upset that we won't tell them anything about anyone. We've covered all the photo frames in the house and won't let them see the Prophet. Harry keeps insisting on wanting to move into Grimmauld Place and Ron wants to join him. We're trying to give them space, but it's difficult when we spent the last five years thinking we'd lost them."

Draco was a father himself and so he could understand, to an extent. He was surprised that Molly and Arthur were so determined to keep the truth under wraps for now and he definitely didn't envy them for dealing with teenage attitudes.

"You'd think with the war so fresh for them they would be more understanding," Draco said quietly.

Arthur sighed heavily, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his face with his palms. "They aren't really taking this five year thing well. Ron even less so than Harry. Of course, I can't expect them to. Between grieving for the years they've lost and the frustration of being kept in the dark about what they've missed, I don't blame them for their reactions."

"That and they must be going batty being locked up in the Burrow," Draco remarked offhandedly.

Arthur nodded in agreement and added, "Ginny won't reply to any of our letters or Floo calls."

That didn't surprise Draco and he mentioned as much.

"My youngest has a stubborn head on her shoulders." Arthur sighed.

"She's not taking the news so well, especially not now that the Healer has confined her to bed rest." At the redhead's questioning look, Draco added, "We all met up at her place last night."

Arthur nodded understandingly and asked, "How's Hermione? She must be shell-shocked."

Draco smiled faintly at the muggle reference and shook his head. "Not well. I hate seeing her hurting like this."

"You cannot shelter her from everything. I know you try to and you would take every pain for her if you could, but I'm afraid this is the one time you can't."

Draco exhaled through his nose, his eyes slipping close as he fought every instinct in him that screamed to protect his wife from every thorn the world had to offer.

Straightening his spine, his grey eyes met Arthur's baby blues as he spoke. "We're floundering around like fish on land, trying to protect those we love, but the reality is that this pain must be felt. I think it's time for Potter and your son to meet their family and friends. They may not like it, but these are our lives and we have nothing to be ashamed of. The longer we put it off, the harder it'll be for them to come to terms with it all."

The look Arthur sent him was one of pride, making Draco shift uncomfortably in his seat.

"It's Bill's birthday on Sunday and Molly wants to host a dinner at the Burrow. To keep the actual celebration from being awkward, we can have everyone come by the house on Saturday to meet Ron and Harry. This way the heavy stuff can be out of the way and we won't have any problems the next day."

 _Easier said than done_ , Draco scoffed internally.

"Can you do me a favour and owl Blaise to let him know? I don't trust Ginny to not set the letter on fire if she sees its from me," Arthur continued. "We'd love to have her and Blaise come on the weekend if she manages to convince Blaise to let her off bed rest by then."

Draco chuckled, shaking his head fondly. "We both know she'll have done that before the end of the week. Ginny melts him into a Hufflepuff just by batting her eyelashes and flipping that red mane. I damn well hope they have a girl with Ginny's hair. Poor Blaise will have a heart attack before she turns seventeen."

"Serves Ginny right for all the premature grey hairs she's given me," Arthur chortled.

* * *

The tone around the dinner table at the Burrow that night was a somber one. Harry and Ron wore matching frowns as they sulked in the aftermath of their latest argument with Molly. They were losing their minds being stuck in the Burrow and barred from communicating with the outside world. The Floo network was locked and the Daily Prophet redirected to Arthur's office. Harry and Ron were forced to spend their days flying in the backyard and playing chess.

Much to their horror, an invisible barrier prevented them from leaving the property and anti-Apparition wards were in place. Ron thought it was all a bit extreme and while Harry agreed with him wholeheartedly, he worried about the reason for such strict measures.

"The potatoes are amazing, dear," Arthur remarked, breaking the tense silence.

His wife beamed, tucking her hair behind her ear as she said, "I made the gravy a touch spicier than I usually would but I wanted to give it a try for Sunday."

Ron perked up at that and he lowered his spoon before asking eagerly, "What's on Sunday?"

Molly hesitated before responding. "We're hosting a party on Sunday for Bill's birthday. It'll be a big affair, but intimate."

"So we'll finally get to meet everyone?" Harry checked, his throat dry with anticipation.

Arthur nodded and cleared his throat. "Actually we were thinking that we can get the whole family over here on Saturday first so that Bill's party can be just about enjoying. I'm sure Bill's family would appreciate if his celebration isn't turned into an emotional reunion."

"Family," Ron repeated with a small smile. "Did he and Fleur have kids?"

"They had their second just last year," Molly confirmed. "Percy is dating a pretty lawyer, but it's quite new still."

"And Charlie continues to break your mother's heart by never getting serious about anyone," Arthur added, smiling when Molly huffed.

"Well his one true love has always been and will always be dragons." Ron chuckled.

"Yeah, no surprise there," Harry said, grinning faintly.

Their happy demeanour was quick to vanish as a thought crossed Harry's mind and he voiced it immediately. "Do they even know that we're back?"

Ron's tone was just as dark as he added, "I just can't believe that my own brothers and sister aren't rushing to see me considering it been five years."

"Or Hermione…I expected her to be here at least," Harry muttered, his heart aching at the thought of the witch he considered to be his sister.

"Of course they know," Molly said quickly, her voice calm as she tried to soothe their quick tempers.

"That's even worse then! They know and they don't care enough to come see us. It been two weeks for us, but we miss the hell out of them. It's been five years for them and they can't even be bothered to send an owl!" Harry exclaimed.

"Harry, Ron, it's nothing like that. Everyone wants to give you time to come to terms with this."

"Come to terms with what?" Ron cried out. "You haven't told us a lick about what happened in these past five years. The only thing there is to come to terms with is the fact that our family and friends no longer give a fuck about us!"

"Ronald! Language!"

Whatever protest Ron had lined up died on his tongue as the Floo in the other room flared to life. Arthur and Molly exchanged glances before hurrying into the living room, followed by Harry and Ron. Kingsley was stepping out of the grate and exchanging greetings when they entered.

"I apologize for dropping by unannounced and at such a late hour," he said, his baritone voice echoing throughout the room.

"Nonsense. You're always welcome here. I'll put on a spot of tea, shall I?"

"Thank you, Molly." He nodded at her and took a seat in the armchair by the fire when Arthur gestured. "I just left the office and figured this was a conversation that would be better done in person than just an owl."

It didn't escape Harry's notice that Arthur had tensed at Kingsley's words, but he didn't have even a second to wonder why when the Minister turned his attention in their direction.

"How are you two doing?"

Ron shrugged, still bitter about the conversation that had taken place in the living room just prior, while Harry tried to formulate a response.

"Ah, we're - uh - we're dealing."

"Barely." Ron snorted. "It's hard considering we don't know most of what we're supposed to be dealing with. We're being kept in the dark and no one will tell us bloody anything."

A solemn look of understanding crossed Kingsley's face and he said, "The world has changed drastically in your absence and while we've all had years to deal with the aftermath of the war, you haven't."

"Malfoy defeating Voldemort is as drastic as anything can be," Harry muttered, his mind flashing back to the conversation in McGonagall's office.

Molly bustled back into the room with a tray in her arms and Kingsley waited until everyone was situated with a cup of tea before he spoke again.

"I'd like to shed some light on the situation and I hope that you will deal with the news maturely." At Harry and Ron's matching looks of outrage, he added, "You're forgetting that I've known you two for some years now. House rivalry was at an all time high when you attended Hogwarts and, regretfully, Dumbledore didn't do much to alleviate your hatred of Slytherins."

"It's a well-earned hatred. Trust me," Ron remarked.

Harry nodded. "Malfoy has always been a git. He let the Death Eaters into the castle and he just watched while his aunt tortured Hermione. He even tried to _crucio_ me in sixth year. Forgive us if the fact that he defeated Voldemort is a bit hard to swallow."

"Harry, we can argue all day that he was forced to let the Death Eaters in under the threat of his mother being killed and that there was nothing he could've done to stop Bellatrix. You were all children being forced to play a part in a madman's war," Kingsley countered gently. "Don't let his actions as a teenager blind you to the accomplished man he is today. Draco Malfoy is not the same sixteen year old boy you knew."

"Kingsley, surely you didn't come here tonight just to convince us that Malfoy is a good guy," Harry said.

"Actually, Harry, I'm here to tell you that I'm removing the Aurors that are currently on your case. Draco Malfoy will be handling it from now on, along with his partner."

"Malfoy is an Auror?" Harry cried out loudly. "How is that even possible?"

"No bloody way!" Ron yelled, his face quickly turning red. "Is the Ministry seriously hiring Death Eaters?"

"Ron!" Molly gasped.

"Wait, so defeating Voldemort gives him a free ticket into the Auror office?" Harry scoffed.

"And this is why I'm here to tell you in person instead of springing it on you. Now listen to me clearly, both of you," Kingsley said firmly, waiting until both boys were looking at him before continuing "Draco had the second-highest N.E.W.T scores in your year and he passed all of the entrance exams with flying colours. Even if he hadn't defeated Voldemort, he would still be a shoe in for the Auror program because of his record-breaking test scores. His knowledge of the Dark Arts is unprecedented and we're damn lucky he uses it for the good of the Wizarding World. If you saw him out in the field, you wouldn't be able to deny how incredibly quick he is with a wand and you'd see just how well-deserved his position is."

Harry wanted to deny any acceptance of the words coming out of Kingsley's mouth but the seriousness with which the Minister spoke gave him pause. Ron, meanwhile, was muttering furiously under his breath about ferrets who bribed their way into the Ministry.

"Ron," Arthur said sharply, catching his youngest son's attention. "Draco saved Fred during the Battle of Hogwarts. Without his quick thinking, your brother would've been crushed to death by rubble."

Though that shut Ron's mumbling, he couldn't help but add sourly, "So he's Draco to everybody now?"

"He's a dear friend of the family," Arthur said.

"I'd say he is family. We'll never be able to thank him enough for what he did for Fred," Molly added. "He also financed most of the restoration efforts for Hogwarts."

"Publicity stunt," Ron retorted.

Kingsley sighed and leaned back in his seat, looking utterly exhausted. "I truly had believed you two would be more understanding. Draco told me you wouldn't let go of your prejudices so easily, but I actually thought fighting a war against prejudice would teach you to let go of said prejudice."

Harry shifted uncomfortably in his seat and exchanged a panicked glance with Ron. The fact that they had behaved exactly as Malfoy anticipated was disconcerting, even more so since Kingsley believed they were better than that.

"Kingsley, we're…what do you want from us? We can't promise we'll be friends with Malfoy or even forgive him, but we can - we can try and tolerate him," Harry said slowly, glancing between Ron and Kingsley as he spoke. When Ron looked unconvinced, he added, "If he's the Auror assigned to our case, then we'll need to be professional. We can do that. Right, Ron?"

"Er, yeah, sure. Though, Kingsley, why did you change the Aurors handling our case when you knew about our past with Malfoy?" Ron asked.

"The head of the Auror department is training him personally to take his place in the next few years and so a high profile case such as this would've initially been assigned to Draco if he hadn't been on vacation when you two were found. Other than that, Draco has spent more time than anyone in the Room of Requirement and his experiences in the war make him the perfect person to handle your case."

Harry begrudgingly nodded, knowing that Kingsley was correct in his reasoning. Still, it stung that his childhood arch-rival had the job that Harry had been working towards all this time. It was always supposed to be Ron and him. Harry would defeat Voldemort and then they would become Aurors so that they could get round up the remaining Death Eaters. Harry had spent the past seven years wishing he wasn't the Chosen One, but there was an ill feeling settling in his gut now that he'd been stripped of the title. It seemed like Draco Malfoy was living the life that Harry was meant to.

 _Hey, I've missed you all so much and I'm so glad to be getting back into writing. Thank you so much to my new Beta,_ _ **CourtingInsanity**_ _. She's absolutely great and she did an amazing job with this chapter!  
What do you think of Harry and Ron's situation? I just love how sweet Draco and Hermione's relationship is. Draco is the perfect husband and I love writing their scenes together. l Let me know your thoughts in the reviews and I can't wait to hear from you! Lots of love :)_


	4. Jolted

**Paralyzed**

 **Chapter 4: Jolted**

 _Disclaimer: Harry Potter and its characters aren't mine (tragic, I know) but this plot is._ _  
_ _Enjoy!_

 _TW: Smut at end of chapter_

* * *

After meeting with Arthur, Draco walked down the hall to where the Auror offices were. After the war, most of the departments had been reorganized and shuffled around. The Auror's offices were really just desks in an open concept room. Only the Head Auror had his own private office for security purposes and this was to show transparency within the department. During the second world war, many of the Aurors had been under Voldemort's employ and so now the ministry strived to atone for that to get back in the public's good graces, thus the attempt to seem honest.

He'd only been working at his desk for a few minutes when Seamus Finnegan, showed up.

"Is it true?"

"That the Chudley Cannon's Director of Operations was arrested for embezzlement? Oh yeah, but no surprise there," Draco replied with a chuckle, not bothering to tear his eyes away from the report he was reading.

"No, you asshat. I mean about Harry and Ron," Seamus said.

Draco hissed at his partner to keep quiet and looking around quickly to ensure that no one else had heard.

"I just received Kingsley's official missive," Seamus said in a quieter tone, leaning forward with an expression that displayed his seriousness. "I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Does Hermione know?"

"Let's make a coffee run," Draco suggested, waving his wand to lock away the documents he was working on.

The cafe they frequented often was one that was down the street in Muggle London and they hadn't seen any magical folk there before. Draco was careful not to mention anything related to their new case until they were seated in the corner of the cafe with a strong _muffliato_ around them. He summarized all the events of the past few days, ending with a soft sigh and large gulp of his caramel latte.

"Blimey, that's one hell of a week. I can't believe they were trapped in Hogwarts all this time," Seamus remarked.

"What did you think had happened to them?" Draco asked curiously, arching a brow as he realized he had never asked his partner this before.

"I wasn't sure what to think. It was unlikely Harry would run from fighting You-Know-Who, but if he'd been killed then surely his body would've been displayed like a trophy. I thought maybe some Death Eater accidentally killed them and hid their bodies to save their own arse from You-Know-Who's wrath."

Draco nodded, pressing his lips together. "Weasley I can believe would run off, but Potter was way too willing to die for the cause to hightail it."

"They might just die now when they find out you married their golden girl," Seamus snickered.

Draco scowled at the thought of his wife being anyone else's anything.

"C'mon, we've got that case of the missing cursed Muggle briefcase to figure out. Let's leave Potter and Weasley for tomorrow, Draco."

"Shit. We've got to hurry. I'm having lunch with Neville and there's still a ton of work to get done before then," Draco swore when he caught sight of the hands of his watch.

* * *

While Draco met up with Neville in Diagon Alley, on the other end of London, Hermione was surprised to find her lunch plans crashed by Theo. She'd been on the way out of St. Mungos to grab a sandwich from the deli down the street when a familiar figure leaning against a pillar by the entrance caught her eye.

"Did Draco send you to make sure I eat?" she asked in greeting when he straightened up as she approached.

Theo chuckled and said, "He didn't, but double the reason to join you for lunch."

He held the door open for Hermione and kept close to her side as they stepped out into Muggle London. Despite frequenting Muggle London often with his friends, the dark-haired Slytherin was still wary of Muggles. It would take more than five years to erase nearly twenty years of teachings by his cruel father. Theo considered himself lucky that his father had been sentenced the kiss after the second war ended and now he was free to think for himself. After becoming the head of the House of Nott, Theo found himself bored stuck inside a manor that had seen entirely too much violence and bloodshed. That only lasted two days, thankfully, until Draco showed up on his doorstep with a bottle of Odgen's finest to offer his condolences.

" _Master Theo, young Master Malfoy is being at the door," Toodles, the only house-elf his father hadn't beheaded, announced, appearing in the library where Theo was reading._

" _At the door? Why didn't he just floo?" Theo muttered._

 _Toodles just blinked at him, waiting silently for direction._

" _Bring him here."_

 _Theo slipped a scrap piece of parchment in the book to mark his page and left the book on the windowsill as he rose to his feet. The library was Theo's personal one and had never been encroached on by his father's Death Eater buddies. As such, it was the only place in the manor he could go to without wanting to vomit out his insides from the memories. His own bedroom had been violated by his drunk father dragging him out of his bed in the middle of the night to practice_ crucios _._

" _Theo!" Draco crowed as he walked into the room with a bottle of alcohol in one hand and a grin on his face. "I hear congratulations are in order."_

 _Theo snorted and stumbled forward as his oldest friend clapped him on the back._

" _You're looking awfully cheery considering it's only eight in the morning," he remarked, accepting the bottle from Draco._

 _Draco shrugged and said nonchalantly, "I figured you'd be up by now since pretty much no one can get any sleep around here without nightmares."_

" _I'd say being the new Chosen One suits you except I've never seen you this_ cheerful _," he coughed out the word in a strangled voice, "and quite frankly, it's highly unusual and disturbing."_

 _Draco didn't smirk, as Theo would've expected his prideful friend to have done. Instead, he frowned and tugged at his collar as he looked around uncomfortably._

" _What? Being a hero isn't all that it's chalked up to be?" Theo chuckled darkly._

" _I don't know how these bloody Gryffindors do it. The fucking Ministry is hanging on tight to my coattails. They want me to be their new poster boy now that Potter and Weasley are gone. I can't even go down to Diagon Alley without being swarmed by peasants who want to touch me like I'm the fuckin' statue of Juliet in Verona. Do I have a bloody sign on my forehead that says 'rub for luck'?" the blond grumbled, his pleasant demeanour all but gone._

" _That sounds inconvenient," Theo agreed and turned away to pour them both a drink from the bottle Draco brought. "Here, you look like you need this."_

 _Draco accepted the offered glass and took a sip before adding, "You need it more than me."_

 _Theo sighed. "I'm better than I could be."_

" _Theo -"_

" _Seriously, I am. I got lucky and no longer am I suffocated by my father's presence."_

" _Just his memory," Draco muttered._

" _Yeah, but it could be worse. The Dark Lord could've won," Theo reminded him._

" _Trust me. I know," he huffed. "No one lets me forget it. Some pudgy old witch had the nerve to tell me she's going to name her next child after me. I would've given up one of my vaults just to be able to say she'd be hard-pressed to find a bloke to shag her."_

 _Theo laughed at the look of utter revulsion on his friend's face and said, "I'm surprised you resisted the urge."_

" _Yeah, that was all Granger. She shoved her pointy elbow into my side. Merlin, that witch needs to eat more. She's like a walking skeleton."_

" _Granger?" If Theo hadn't already seen numerous photos in the Prophet of Gryffindor's Princess by Draco's side, he never would've believed the words coming out of his friend's mouth or the foreign glint of fondness in his eyes at the mention of her. "You two friends now or something?"_

" _Er, not really. Kind of. We're both helping out with the repairs up at the castle. We kept accidentally hiding out in the same spots from reporters and fans. She hates the attention too, especially now that the spotlight of the rest of the Golden Trio is all on her. Besides, the Ministry loves sticking us together for every interview and social event since I'm pretty much the new Harry Potter."_

" _I see." Theo nodded. "You're not worried that that is the reason she's treating you differently? You know how these Gryffindors are. She could just be heartbroken over being ditched by Weasley and Potter. You'd be the most convenient replacement for those two."_

 _Draco shrugged and said, "I thought that at first, but it's like you said, you know how these Gryffindors are. Granger doesn't have it in her to replace her two sidekicks and especially not with someone she spent the last seven years hating. She doesn't treat me any differently, Theo. We still bitch at each other constantly, but it's not cruel anymore. It's actually more like…banter. Yeah, banter. Like playful and shit. Then sometimes, we'll just spend hours discussing Arithmancy theories, Potion laws, or even wand lore."_

" _I doubt she could ever do that with Potter and Weasley," Theo snickered._

" _Exactly," Draco snorted, finishing off his glass with a large swallow. "She still thinks I'm a git and has no problem telling me. Honestly, she's not half bad when those two idiots aren't clinging to her like leeches."_

" _Does she know where they went?"_

" _Nope. No one does," Draco said with a shake of his head. "Kingsley has people looking into it, but between you and me, he can't keep it up any longer. Manpower is limited and to be quite frank, the public is more interested in seeing reparations done than worrying about where Potter and his ginger zit went."_

" _I've seen the papers and all, but I can't get over the fact that you're all cozy with the Minister of Magic. I mean, if anyone else were the Minister then I wouldn't be surprised to see a Malfoy near them, but Kingsley Shacklebolt? He's the head of the Order of the Phoenix. That's just bizarre."_

" _It is," Draco agreed, looking contemplative. "He's a decent bloke. Works hard. Doesn't have a stick up his arse like the rest of the Order. He's not prejudiced against Slytherins either."_

" _If only the rest of the Wizarding World were like that," Theo muttered, frowning down at his glass._

" _Is that why you're holed up inside here?"_

" _What else am I supposed to do?" Theo sighed. "I'm just lucky that I don't have the mark on my arm or I would've been rounded up to Azkaban and made an example out of. Flint got two years and the most he ever did was threaten a half-blooded shop owner. My father was known to be bloodthirsty and people expect the same of me. I'll be jeered at if I leave this mansion."_

 _Placing his glass aside on the coffee table, he glanced up to see a calculating look take over Draco's features. The blond looked a lot like he did when he was working out a particularly complicated Arithmancy calculation. Pansy had always called it the look of a scheming Malfoy and Theo was inclined to agree with her. This was the exact expression both Draco and his father adopted when they were plotting. Malfoys loved to plot._

" _You'll lose your bloody mind if you stay," Draco whispered, his eyebrows knitted together and his tongue flicked out to lick his bottom lip. "Listen, Theo, you can't just lock yourself up in this wretched place and wither away."_

" _I mean, I was considering asking McGonagall if I can take my N.E.W.T.s by correspondence. She knew us Slytherins were just as victimized by the Carrows as the other students. She even knew that we were only faking the use of the cruciatus on the younger students. I'm hoping that and my lack of dark mark counts for something."_

" _That's the thing. If Potter had stuck around and gotten rid of the Dark Lord himself, I would've been one of the first fuckers they would've tossed into Azkaban. The only reason people aren't spitting on me is because I got rid of the evil tyrant. They adore me because Potter isn't here to suck up their praises. I'm not blind to the fact that the Wizarding World wouldn't have cared that I was coerced into taking the mark just to protect my mother. They would have loved to watch me burn at the stake alongside my own father."_

" _I know that, Draco. What are you getting at?"_

" _If they can adore the guy who let Death Eaters into Hogwarts and nearly killed Dumbledore, then they can adore the Hufflepuff disguised in scales."_

" _Wow. Rude," Theo drawled, used to being called a Hufflepuff by those who knew him well. "Seriously, at first I thought you were just being a dramatic Malfoy but now you're starting to sound like a Gryffindor."_

" _That was uncalled for," Draco scowled. "No, but listen, you've got two options here. Either hide away in this library until you rot or you can get off your arse and start fixing the mess your life is."_

" _Is this how Granger recruited you to her posse of eerily cheerful do-gooders?"_

 _Draco gave him the finger and said, "No, that's how she stopped me from squandering the second chance I've been given. You really think Granger can resist a lost cause? She caught wind that I was holing up away from the world. I requested McGonagall for a room at Hogwarts for the duration of the rebuilding so that I won't have to go home. I only ever left it to work and even took my meals in my room. One day, Granger shows up at my door and drags my arse to McGonagall's office. Only thing she'll tell me is that we're flooing out of the school to go on a little trip and won't say another word, the uppity cow. I was upset, of course, but she really is quite magnificent when she takes charge."_

 _Theo stared at his friend with thinly-veiled amusement. Draco was too busy reminiscing the actions of the stubborn witch with a smile to notice._

" _Did you know that I had a cousin in Hufflepuff? The daughter of the infamous Black sister, Andromeda Black, who was disowned for running away with a muggle-born. Anyways, she married the werewolf who taught Defence in our third year and they both died in the Final Battle last month." Draco barked out a bitter laugh as he added quietly, "She was murdered by Bellatrix. Her own fucking aunt."_

" _Shit," Theo breathed out. He'd known the story of Andromeda Black, as all Purebloods did, but he didn't know about her daughter._

" _Yeah. It's - it's insane. Mother reconnected with her and she's really something. I wish she'd been around while growing up. It's a bit discerning though to see which mannerisms of hers are like Mother's and which are like Aunt Bella's. She has a grandson who is just a year old."_

 _Theo swallowed hard. There was the Malfoy luck rearing its head again. Theo lost the last member of his family in the war, but Draco came out of it with a better replacement of his aunt and another cousin. Granted, Theo's father was an awful person and abusive most of the time, but he was still his father. Now, he was left alone in a big mansion and his heart ached for a family._

 _Draco mistook Theo's stiffening for horror at his baby cousin being orphaned and nodded empathetically. "He's literally the cutest little shit I've ever seen but if you tell anyone I said that I'll_ Avada _you."_

 _Theo forced himself to shake it off and coughed out a chuckle._

" _Is Draco Malfoy sweet on a baby?" he teased._

" _Shut up!" the blond scowled and rolled his eyes as he said, "Anyways, she took me to meet Teddy and Aunt Dromeda."_

" _Wait? She just sprung your disowned Aunt and the son of your cousin who was killed by your other Aunt on you like that? No warning whatsoever!"_

 _Draco cocked an eyebrow and said, "I always said she's a crazy bitch, didn't I?"_

 _Theo snorted, knowing just how much and how often Draco talked about Granger. Almost as much as he talked about Potter._

" _So yeah she did that and told me I was being a fool. I'm damn near lucky to make it out of the war alive and even more so to have been given a free ticket that overrides the stigma of being an ex-Death Eater post-war. As always, the swot was right and now we're going to take a leaf out of her book and do what any sensible Slytherin would do."_

" _What's that?" Theo asked warily._

 _Draco's answering grin was feral._

" _Shed our scales," he declared and strode over to the nearest bookshelf. Picking out a book at random, he read the title and promptly tossed it over his shoulder._

" _Oi!" Theo yelled, diving forward to catch the book before it could hit the floor. "Watch it! This is a rare text on blood curses."_

" _Exactly. We're going to rid this library of all it's dark books and donate it to the Ministry, which then I'll accidentally let slip to the press about."_

" _What the fuck? Why?"_

" _You're reformed."_

 _Theo gaped at the blond and missed the next book that was thrown his way._

" _First we clean out this manor and then feature you in the Prophet as the latest volunteer and donor for the rebuilding of Hogwarts."_

" _Will you and Granger be in this picture with me?" Theo drawled sarcastically with a roll of his eyes._

" _Of course. Maximum coverage. If the Golden Girl and the new Saviour are seen advocating your reform efforts, the Wizarding World will clamour over themselves to accept you. Oh, hey, can I keep this copy of 'Sixteenth-Century Toxins and their Applications in Warfare'?"_

"I'm in the mood for a turkey sandwich," Hermione said, not bothering to glance at the menu as they settled into their seats at her favourite cafe.

"I'm partial to their french onion soup, but I do have a meeting this afternoon. Maybe I ought to carry around mouth freshening potions like Blaise," Theo remarked.

"I thought he stopped doing that when he settled down with Ginny."

"Blaise is always ready for a good snog. Always. You could wake up the bugger at three past midnight and his lips will be puckered," Theo scoffed. "You plan on introducing Potter and Weasley to Scorpius?"

Hermione appreciated that Theo didn't beat around the bush. That's what made him such a great friend. He never held back and always told her how it was. Upon first meeting Theo during the Hogwarts rebuilding, she could see why Draco valued Theo's friendship so much.

"You know that from experience?" she snickered. "Well, I certainly don't intend to hide my life from them. I'm not ashamed."

He nodded. "Nice. You've got to let me see the memory of their reaction after."

"Theo!"

"What? I bet Weasley will turn three different shades of red. Priceless."

"Ugh. Is this entertaining to you?"

"Of course not. But it's the silver lining. We're just being optimistic here."

"You're making a bigger deal out of it than it is."

"Nuh-uh. You underestimate the strength of a Gryffindor grudge. Potter and Weasley wanted more reasons to hate Draco in school."

"Well he gave them plenty," she retorted. "They were my best friends and they trusted my judgment."

"I've got a bet going with Blaise and Neville that they'll accuse Draco of using Amorentia on you."

"You're crazy. The lot of you!" she tutted, shaking her head.

"I mean come on. It's not often we get to see Draco so terrified."

She frowned, knitting her brows together.

"Does he really think he can lose me over this?"

"I mean, I tried to remind him that marriages are permanent in the Wizarding World but he threw a Ming dynasty vase at my head," Theo told her with a shrug.

Hermione opened her mouth to retort but was interrupted by the waiter arriving with their food. She was pleased to see that despite his lingering fear of muggles, Theo politely thanked the man and even gave him a small appreciative smile.

"I wish I could make Draco understand that nothing Harry and Ron say can change how I feel about him. I'm more concerned that they won't accept this and then I'll lose them all over again," she said between bites. "They have a tendency to speak before they think and I refuse to tolerate a word against my family and friends."

"I think we both know what Draco is really afraid of. You're not the only thing Potter and Weasley will try to wrench away from him. He has a lot to lose and quite frankly, they have nothing more to lose."

She sighed and nodded reluctantly.

"Anyways, forget Potter and Weasley. Luna and I are planning a trip to the Amazon in the coming weeks. She wanted me to ask you for some of that muggle paste. Sun cream?"

"Sunscreen and of course. We can buy some after we finish here. I still have time until my break is over."

Theo grimaced but agreed with a shake of his head.

* * *

"Kingsley, you're right that it would've sucked to find out about Malfoy from a letter," Harry said after a long moment of silence as they tried to process the fact that Malfoy would be the Auror on their case.

He forced himself to push aside the dark emotions churning within him and keep his head on straight for the time being. It was evident that the Minister held Malfoy in high regard and the last thing Harry wanted to do was prove to him that Malfoy was right in his observations that Harry and Ron would react immaturely. The hushed whispers and screaming portraits in Hogwarts made it clear that the Wizarding World thought poorly of them for having disappeared in the middle of the Battle of Hogwarts. That meant Harry and Ron would need the support of the Minister of Magic if they were to pick up the pieces of their lives and move on. Public opinion held huge sway in a population as small as the magical one and with Malfoy already a favourite in the Auror division, Harry wasn't liking his own odds of becoming an Auror.

"Of course. This is a very difficult and unique situation. If there is anything else I can do to ease your transitions to five years post-war, do let me know."

"Actually, there is something," Harry began hesitantly, knowing this query of his caused Molly and Arthur to exchange pitying looks whenever he brought it up. "I was hoping to move back into Grimmauld Place. I know it was compromised when we were on the run for horcruxes, but it's been five years so I assume it's safe to live there."

There is was again, pity mixed with a strong dose of alarm. Ron shifted beside him as the tension in the room tightened perceptibly.

"You never told him?" Kingsley turned to Molly and Arthur.

Their silence was answer enough.

Letting out another sigh, Kingsley turned back to the two boys and said softly, "I'm sorry, Harry, I don't know what Dumbledore told you, but Grimmauld Place was never Sirus' to give to you. Even though he was exonerated posthumously, he was disowned by the Blacks long before that. Andromeda was the eldest of the sisters, but she was disowned as well. Bellatrix is dead and that just leaves Narcissa. Ownership typically passes onto the next male heir with a family as old as the Blacks so legally the house belongs to Draco Malfoy."

Harry opened his mouth to speak, but the noise that came out of it was akin to a cat being strangled. He wanted to get up and storm out of the room. To walk out of the Burrow and scream into the night. Before he could force his numb body to move, Kingsley continued.

"Draco and Narcissa actually had Andromeda reinstated back into the Black family shortly after the war. However, Andromeda refused to take Grimmauld Place so as far as I know, he still holds the deed to the place."

"Of course he does," Harry muttered, his eyes burning.

"Quite honestly, Dumbledore considered himself above the law and took quite a few liberties with it. Even now, six years after his passing, we're dealing with legal repercussions that we're just discovering since he isn't here to take responsibility for them," Kingsley confessed, annoyance evident on his face.

"Excuse me," Harry choked out and bounded out of the room, unable to take this anymore.

* * *

Once Scorpius was tucked into bed, Hermione curled up on the couch in Draco's study with _Hogwarts: A History_. A rare first edition, it was a beloved gift from Draco for their first Christmas together as a couple. The man in question was hunched over his desk, brows furrowed and eyes narrowed as he wrote out his report. The only sounds in the room were the crackling of the fireplace and the scratching of his pen, a muggle invention he'd come to love. Despite it being nearly summer, Hermione loved the smell of firewood burning and so cooling charms kept the temperature in the room without drawing away from the ambiance of the fireplace. Leo slumbered at her feet, all four of his paws outstretched tall in the air.

Having read the thick text countless times before, she sighed and looked up with disappointment evident on her face. She had hoped to find something that would give her a clue. Her mind throbbed as she drove herself mad contemplating the reason behind the disappearance of her friends.

"You'll give yourself grey hair thinking that hard."

Breaking out of her reverie, she returned the soft smile on her husband's face. He looked exhausted, she noticed, her gaze tracking the stress that was resting on the lines of his face.

"You'd love that. Having the best hair in the family finally," she teased, loving the affronted expression he took on.

"As if! I'll have you know my sleek tresses are insured for hundreds of galleons," he retorted.

Leo rolled over onto his front, throwing his mistress a dirty look as her giggling disturbed his slumber. He trotted out of the room without giving them a second glance, his tail swishing high in the air behind him.

"The Malfoy theatrics have definitely rubbed off on him," Hermione drawled, looking amused.

Draco threw down his quill, got to his feet, and ambled over to her. He plopped down onto the couch and reached over to pull her into his arms across his lap. She leaned back against the armrest, stretching out her legs as she pressed the side of her body into his chest. His arm was curled around her tightly and his hand rested on her hip comfortably.

"I miss Greece," he muttered as she tucked her face into his neck.

"You just miss the endless sex," she retorted with a giggle.

The vibrations of her laughter ran through the length of her body and down to his crotch. She could feel him hardening under her arse where he was nestled.

"Careful, love," he warned lightly, but his hold on her tightened. "I miss not having to share you with the rest of the world. Just the two of us in the Mediterranean heat, hidden away from our problems."

"Mhm," she chuckled throatily at the memory of them doing just that last week. "It's not like us to run from our problems."

"You're the Gryffindor here," he scoffed not unkindly. "As a Slytherin, it would be in my best interests to simply have the problem removed. All without needing to get my hands dirty or face the problem in person."

She pulled her head away from where it was cozily resting on his collarbone and stared at him. He met the unadulterated awe in her eyes without wavering.

"You'd do it, wouldn't you?" she whispered. "You would find a way to get rid of Harry and Ron forever."

"To protect you? In a heartbeat. I'd have both of their existences wiped from the face of the Earth if it would shield you from their harsh words," he admitted unflinchingly. "Unfortunately, your bleedin' heart wouldn't take it so well, so here we are."

"I love you," she said quietly, punctuating her words with a bruising kiss. It was with much reluctance that she pulled away from his mouth. "We can't just assume they'll react poorly. I was their best friend for seven years. They'd want me to be happy. And even if they do react badly, they can't do anything about it. Their only option is to accept it."

This time it was Draco capturing her lips at her bold declaration.

"What if they make you choose?" he whispered into her mouth.

She shook her head slightly, "Not possible. There is no choice to make. There is only you. You and the amazing family you've given me."

"Ah, hear that, little one?" he dipped his chin and glanced down at her waist with mild amusement. "Your mummy won't be ditching us. Finding a replacement wife would've been a nightmare, but I did hear Astoria Greengrass is looking for a second husband and has experience with children."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at the cheeky smirk he was giving her. Paired with the mischievous glint in his eyes, he looked absolutely delectable.

"Astoria sodding Greengrass better keep her claws away if she knows what's good for her. You're mine, Draco Malfoy, and no one can change that."

His eyes darkened perceptibly at her admission and he swallowed hard at the sudden tightness in his chest. He'd never get used to just how much she loved him, how strongly and unabashedly she felt. It was an intoxicating drug, her love. It flooded his veins and plagued his thoughts. She owned him - body, mind, and soul. Which was fortunate because he owned her - body, mind, and soul.

"Awfully possessive thing, aren't you?" he remarked, a slight hiss escaping him when she wriggled in place. His cock was throbbing at full mast now and his self control hanging on by a single thread. He tightened his grip on her hip and used the hand that was caressing her jaw to grab the back of her head. He held her in place and felt the shiver that wracked through her body when he demanded, "Hold still, minx."

"But I want you now," she whined, trying to pull away from the hand that was in her hair so that she could reach his lips. "Gotta remind you who you belong to."

He chuckled darkly, the deadly undertone in his voice carrying straight to her core.

"Not this time, kitten. Tonight, I need to remind you who _you_ belong to," he murmured before acquiescing to her silent demands and claiming her lips.

The kiss was something fierce, full of passion and intention. He ravaged her mouth like a pillager and sought her taste like a thirsty man. He was unrelenting as he took from her everything she had to give and more.

When he felt her pulling away from him, he let out a growl and nipped her bottom lip in admonishment. She moaned into his mouth, but to his surprise, she pushed at his chest with her hands. He pulled back to look at her questionably and was momentarily stunned by the Malfoy-esque smirk on her lips. Her eyes glittered with lust, molten chocolate to his hard steel. She tugged that damned bottom lip between her teeth and her cheeks flushed red as she whispered, "I want you to fuck my mouth. _Please_."

He groaned at the sheer innocence that radiated off her despite the dirty words coming out of her mouth.

"How do you manage to sound like a shy schoolgirl even after all the ways I've defiled your tight little body?" he questioned in a gravelly voice as she slipped down his body and to her knees on the floor. Resting her forearms on his thighs that were on either side of her, she flashed him a coy smile and got to work unbuckling his trousers for him. Like most of the time, he'd chosen to go commando today and it worked out in her favour because there was less fabric to get through to claim her prize.

Hermione kept her eyes locked on his as she leaned forward to press a kiss to his tip. Pearly fluid was already leaking and coated her lips like lipgloss. Draco moaned at the sight his lover made - on her knees, one hand wrapped around what she could reach of his thick cock and his pre-cum glistening on her bruised lips. He nearly came right there and then.

"You're killing me, baby," he muttered when she finally took him into her mouth.

She giggled, the vibrations reverberating through his cock and causing him to hiss at how _bloody amazing_ it felt. After being together for so long, she knew exactly how he liked it. That wasn't to say their sex life wasn't constantly surprising as they explored new kinks, but she knew just how to make him cum rapidly or drag it out if she so wished.

Even as she sucked him, her tongue lapped at his head and she allowed her teeth to lightly graze his length. Deepthroating Draco was a learned skill that took a lot of practice for her to master, but once she did, she never looked back. Though she didn't have anyone to compare to, gossiping with her girlfriends told her that Draco was longer and thicker than the average wizard. She'd even heard Lucius boast that large male endowments ran in the family and a giggling Narcissa attested to that.

On the other hand, Hermione was a petite woman. Her temper, bossy personality, and unruly hair made her seem larger than life to most. However, being near Draco's six feet two frame never failed to make her realize that he dwarfed her in size. The mind-blowing part of all this was that she didn't resent it, their stark difference in stature. No, Hermione adored it.

She loved how having him at her side was like being protected by an avenging angel. His hugs absolutely swallowed her whole and immersed her in sinewy muscles and the unique musky scent that was simply Draco. She felt safest when she was in his arms - shielded from all the bad in the world and his mere presence eviscerating the anxiety she was prone to. More than anything, she simply loved how despite being half his size, her lithe body managed to accommodate his huge cock. It was like she was made just for him, that's how perfectly they fit.

The first time she'd seen his cock, all the blood drained out of her face and she gaped at him for a moment before promptly saying, "We should start investing in pain potions."

Draco's fingers slid into her hair, letting the curls wrap around his hand. He tightened his grip and pushed her head down until his cock met the back of her throat and tears were welled up in her eyes. He gave her the slightest of moments to breathe through her nose and relax her throat before pulling her head back. He waited until just the tip remained in her mouth before slamming back in all the way. He kept up this pattern for some time, loving the way the wetness on her cheeks glimmered in the light.

She kept her eyes locked on his face, watching as his head fell back and he let out a groan at the pleasure wracking through this body in waves. His eyes were clenched shut and his lips were parted, the picture of someone about to come undone.

"I'm going to come, kitten," he breathed out as he felt his balls tighten.

His back arched off the sofa as his pleasure peaked with a cry of her name and she sucked every drop out of him with hollowed cheeks.

"I love you," he murmured, pulling her up his body to claim her mouth with his. "So fucking much."

"Well then it's a good thing that I'm crazy in love with you," she retorted cheekily, nipping at his jaw.

"I'll kill anyone who tries to take you from me," he kept his eyes locked on hers as he spoke.

"There's no me without you," she whispered, her nails scraping against his scalp as she surrendered her lips to him.

* * *

 _It's been so long, I know, but I have lots of plans for this fic so I won't be giving it up. The next two chapters are already written so the wait won't be this long._

 _Next up, Harry and Ron meet Draco and Hermione!_

 _Thank you so much to all my readers for your continued support. My heart skips a beat with every kudos and comment I get. Please let me know what you think so far. Does anyone think Draco is overreacting? Or is his fear justified?_


	5. Crackle

**Paralyzed**

 **Chapter 5: Crackle**

 _Disclaimer: Harry Potter and its characters aren't mine (tragic, I know) but this plot is._ _  
_ _Enjoy!_

* * *

Ron closed the door behind him and stopped short at the sight of his best mate sitting forlornly on the second bed Molly had set up against the far wall of his cozy childhood bedroom. He knew from the tiny burn mark on the headboard that this bed had belonged to Percy before.

"Kingsley left. It's starting to make sense why Mum and Dad wanted to give us time to come to terms with all this," Ron said glumly, handing Harry one of the two bottles of butterbeer he'd brought upstairs with him and falling back onto his bed. "Bloody hell! We're gone for five years and my family thinks it's okay to cozy up with the git who made our lives hell at Hogwarts."

"I was supposed to be an Auror after the war," Harry said quietly, leaning back against the wall. "You and me both. Best friends and partners on the field. I was going to marry Ginny and we were going to live in Grimmauld Place. Except now everyone thinks we ran away from the Battle of Hogwarts, Ginny has probably moved on, all of our friends are so busy with their own lives that they can't be bothered to come see us, and everyone fucking loves Draco Malfoy."

"It's like they think the sun shines out of his arse," Ron added darkly.

"I wish Ginny and Hermione were here. It would be so much easier to deal with all this if we had some support from familiar faces."

"I know exactly what you mean, mate," Ron said. "I thought the kiss meant something to Hermione, but she hasn't even sent an owl."

"At least Malfoy hasn't taken Hermione from you," Harry whined, contemplating throwing the bottle in his hand across the room. "I'm homeless, Ron, and the entire Wizarding World hates me. Hates us. I heard your dad talking to your mum that it would be better for us to complete our NEWTs from home instead so that people don't murder us in our sleep."

"Come on, Harry. This'll blow over. Back in fifth year they all hated you because they thought you were a liar. When everyone finds out that we didn't run away, they'll get over it and go back to adoring the Chosen One and his best friend."

"Since when is life ever that simple, Ron?" Harry grumbled, scratching at his chest as a kernel of jealousy festered there. "I never imagined in a million years that a Death Eater would be worshipped like he was the Virgin Mary."

"Uh, who?"

"Never mind." He waved the redhead off. "I just…Ron, what are we supposed to do now? You don't - you don't think that Ginny and your brothers and Hermione all think we abandoned them, do you?"

"Of course not, Harry! But I mean, that would explain why they haven't written to us yet or insisted on seeing us."

"You'd think they would know us better than that," Harry spat out in disgust. "My whole life has been about defeating Voldemort. Why would I give up and hide at the last second?"

"Exactly, so let's not assume the worst. Knowing Hermione, she's probably busy with her career at the Ministry. She wanted to work for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures before working her way up to Minister of Magic, remember? And Ginny? My sister always wanted to join the Holyhead Harpies and knowing how wicked she was on the pitch I bet she's just busy with training since Quidditch season just started. Fred and George have the shop to manage and Percy is a git. It's not easy getting an international portkey all the way from Romania to England, and Mum said Bill was busy with his family. All very justifiable reasons to not come running to meet us."

"Remus and Tonks are dead. That's their reason," Harry added flatly, his chest aching at the memory of his beloved friends. The passing of the young couple was one of the only things Molly and Arthur had told them.

"Do you think Andromeda will bring Teddy around on Sunday?" Ron wondered, not wanting to think about their friends' deaths. "Even if you were here, Andromeda would've taken in Teddy because guardianship would go to natural family members. I reckon having Teddy around would've helped her deal with losing Tonks."

"You're right. I asked Lupin about that and he said if something happened to both him and Tonks then Andromeda would step in to raise Teddy. We - er - we only discussed this briefly, but he wanted me to be a large part of Teddy's life. I hope Andromeda doesn't mind me trying to help out with him. I missed five years of my godchild's life, but not anymore."

"Consider this, you have no expectations of how Teddy was before we left because he was just a baby then. Meeting him won't be like when you meet Ginny and get your heart gets broken because she moved on and changed."

"Ron, I have no reason to be upset if Ginny moved on," Harry reminded him lightly, ignoring the fact that it did in fact hurt a ton to picture his ex-girlfriend happy with someone else.

"That's the thing, Harry," Ron replied quietly, staring down at the rim of his butterbeer bottle with an indescribable expression. "If you have no reason to be upset at Ginny, then I have even less of right to be upset with Hermione for moving on. It was just a kiss. Granted, it was the best kiss of my life, but that could just be because of all the adrenaline in the middle of the battle."

"Maybe, but Hermione had feelings for you for quite some time. At least as far back as fifth year," Harry recalled. "Besides her education and work has always been at the top of her list of priorities. I can't imagine she's dated much when there's a career to be built. I can already see her, taking the Wizarding World by storm with her agenda."

"True. Harry, the kiss happened five years ago. That's what I'm struggling to wrap my head around. For me it was just a few weeks ago, but for her it's probably a faint memory."

"Either way, Ron, if Hermione and Ginny have moved on, then we have to accept that gracefully. It's unfair to expect them to have waited."

As much as Ron hated hearing the words, he knew realistically it was the most likely scenario. He could only wistfully hope that Hermione had been too busy with her career to have much of a love life, but at the end of the day, Ron wasn't an idiot.

"Come on. Let's get to bed. Talking about it makes my head hurt," Ron sighed, not wanting to think about all this any longer. "We have to be up early for our appointment with the Healers."

* * *

"I don't like this," Draco said for the twelfth time.

"So you've said," Hermione remarked, not looking up as she dug through her purse to make sure she had everything she needed.

"The Healer said to rest."

"I'm pregnant, not dying from a terminal illness. I already took time off for Greece so I need to go into work," she said and turned to find him frowning down adorably at the tie that hung around his neck. Shaking her head slightly, she strode over to him and took the ends of the tie out of his hands. She held his gaze as she tied the designer silk fabric and then slid her hands up his chest, locking them around his neck.

"I just don't want you to overwork yourself," he murmured, his own hands resting on her hips.

"I know and I won't," she whispered before reaching up on the tips of her toes to capture his mouth with hers. "I promise, love."

She pulled away to gather her stuff and he followed her out the room. It was the day after he'd spoken to Kingsley and even after hearing everything the Minister had said, his stubborn wife was going into work. Of course, her dedication to her work was part of what made her such an amazing Healer, but it also meant she often neglected her own health as a result. Draco knew that she would be more cautious in this pregnancy than the last, but he couldn't help but worry still.

They headed down to the Hall of Hearths, kissing each other goodbye before stepping into separate fireplaces and flooing away at the same time. Draco heard his wife's firm cry of, "St. Mungos," over his own, "Ministry of Magic," before he was swallowed by the roar of green flames.

Several other ministry members greeted him as he strode through the atrium and took the lift up to his floor. There weren't many workers in the Ministry this early, but Draco was a morning person like his wife. They preferred to start work earlier so as to make it home to their family at a suitable time. As a rule, the family ate dinner together every night. Narcissa had insisted upon it when they got married so that she could get to know her daughter-in-law better and inadvertently force Lucius to bond with the Muggleborn he had so despised. Evidently, it worked like a charm.

"Draco, we're up," Seamus called out from the other end of the hall as he strode towards Draco whilst pulling on his jacket. "Harry and Ron have an appointment at St. Mungos this morning and we'll be escorting them. We also need to get a copy of their reports from their Healer."

Ever the perceptive partner, Seamus noticed the tightening of Draco's jaw and the calculating look in his eyes.

"Who on Earth thought it would be a good idea for Potter and Weasley to make a public appearance?" he spit out, quickening his pace alongside Seamus.

"That would be the Aurors we replaced," Seamus snorted, shaking his head at the idiocy. Then seeing the contemplative look on his partner's face, he asked, "What're you thinking?"

"What if we just had their Healer do a home visit? Have them come by the The Burrow instead of risking their identities being exposed?"

"That's probably the approach the aurors should've gone with to start with," Seamus admitted. "It's ridiculous that they didn't. But I doubt we can get the Healer to shuffle around their schedule on such a short notice."

Draco swore under his breath and led the way down to the atrium. Seamus snickered at the way the blond's barely restrained temper had people scuttling out of the way. Despite being hailed a saviour, Draco was known to have trained as a Death Eater and his skills with and without a wand were legendary in the Ministry. People feared the infamous Malfoy wrath and they recognized the barely concealed gleam of fury in his silver eyes.

"Ease up, mate. Rodriguez nearly sprained his ankle diving out of the elevator," Seamus said amusedly.

Draco exhaled, but barely loosened his stiff posture.

"What's got your wand in a knot?"

Draco waited until they were out of earshot of everyone else walking down the corridor with them and muttered, "Hermione is working today."

"Oh. Shit," Seamus groaned. "At least we'll be at St. Mungos so when you kick their arses they can get healed up right away."

"Kick their arses? What makes you think I'll be doing that?" Draco asked with an amused smirk.

"I lived with those two for six years so trust me when I say that they will blow up like one of Neville's cauldrons. You already know what the Weasley temper is like and Harry was protective of Hermione like a sister. Ron was also sweet on Hermione and all of that combined with the rivalry between you three…phew, maybe we should owl ahead and have a Healer on standby for this inevitable train wreck," he mused.

Draco rolled his eyes and stepped up to the grate of an empty fireplace. Throwing down a fistful of floo powder, he said loudly, "The Burrow."

* * *

Harry was sitting at the dining table with Ron, both sleepily chewing on their toast and watching Molly move around the kitchen. They were both of the opinion that it was entirely too early in the morning, but the Aurors were supposed to be coming by anytime before their appointment to escort them to St. Mungos. Personally, Harry could do without starting the day off with Malfoy's face, but he had no choice but to bare with it.

The typical morning noises of birds chirping and roosters crowing were interrupted by the floo flaring to life in the other room. Immediately, they straightened up and exchanged wide-eyed looks. Molly gestured for them to stay seated as she bustled out of the room. They could hear her greeting their visitor as the floo sounded a second time. Another deep male voice joined the first, both of them vaguely familiar but Harry could only identify the first as Malfoy's.

Molly returned to the kitchen, giving them worried looks as they stared at the two men that had followed her in. The first thing Harry noticed was that Malfoy looked _different_. He had filled out and while his features were still pointy, they painted the picture of a man. This was no longer the skinny, sickly looking teenager from their seventh year, instead his chest was broad and his arms muscular. He was much taller than Harry remembered, but the silver eyes were the same as the ones he'd met with in Malfoy Manor before snatching his wand.

"Seamus?" Ron exclaimed as he stood up, and it was then that Harry realized the man beside Malfoy was his Irish dorm mate.

"Ron, Harry, glad to see you lads are okay," Seamus remarked.

Seamus came forward and gave both of them a one armed hug, clapping them on the back as he did.

"What're you doing here?" Harry asked with a wide smile. "Not that we don't want you here. It's just that we haven't met anyone else since we've been back and I can't tell you how good it feels to see you."

"Draco and I are partners. We're the ones in charge of your case now," he explained.

At this, Harry and Ron turned back to face the blond who'd been watching their exchange quietly.

"Potter. Weasley," Malfoy nodded, his face impassive.

Swallowing down the feeling of loathing stirring up inside him, Harry stepped around the dining table and held out his hand to Draco.

"Malfoy, thanks for doing this. I heard you're the best of the best," he forced out. Given the circumstances, Harry had had trouble falling asleep last night and ended up deliberating how to approach this entire situation. He despised Malfoy for stealing everything from him, but he also knew that he was treading on thin ice. The last thing he wanted to do was give the prat the satisfaction of behaving just as he expected.

Malfoy arched his brow at this and it was clear he didn't expect such civility, but he shook the outstretched hand.

"It's my job," Malfoy shrugged.

"Draco, Seamus, take a seat. How do you like your eggs?" Molly interrupted, coming around to usher them to the table.

"It's alright, Molly. I grabbed a bagel from the cafeteria and we've got to prepare for the appointment," Seamus protested.

"Nonsense. There's still two hours until the appointment and that Ministry cafeteria sells what can hardly be called food," she retorted. "I've just put on a fresh pot of tea. Draco, sweetheart, as I recall you like your eggs sunny side up?"

"Molly, thank you, but you really don't need to bother. The elves prepared a lovely Danish spread this morning," Malfoy tried to tell her, but she hushed him up with a look.

"I know well enough that you have a healthy appetite and you need to keep up your strength for Auror work. Besides, Godric knows both you and your wife rush to work without eating enough. Speaking of, I baked a fresh batch of blueberry lemon scones. Make sure the both of you don't leave without taking some."

"You're the best, Molly," Malfoy said with a soft smile, surprising both Harty and Ron who had thought the blond's facial muscle incapable of anything except sneering. "This'll make her day. Your scones are her absolute favourite, especially the blueberry lemon ones."

"Oh you're married, Malfoy?" Harry asked politely.

The blond clenched his jaw and nodded stiffly.

"Purebloods almost always have arranged marriages right out of school," Ron piped up. "Loads of them have betrothal contracts by the time they start at Hogwarts."

Malfoy frowned, but didn't say anything as Molly placed a plate of food in front of him.

Ron turned to Seamus and asked, "What about you?"

"I'm seeing a lovely lass who works in the Department of International Magical Cooperation office. It's starting to get serious."

"That's great, man. I'm happy for you," Harry congratulated.

"Thanks, Harry. It's about time actually. Everyone I know is already married and having babies. I'd like to have something like that."

Malfoy snorted elegantly and remarked drily, "Say that after you stay up all night with a hollering newborn and then just when you close your eyes it's time to drag your arse to work after."

"What're you talking about, Draco? You had elves to do all that for you," Seamus scoffed.

Malfoy barked out a laugh. "Have you met my wife? Salazar forbid we wake up the elves past their bedtime for anything."

"Your elves have bedtimes?" Ron wondered, looking equal parts confused and amused.

"You have a kid?" Harry asked at the same time.

Malfoy hesitated before nodding, "Two boys."

Harry nodded and mumbled something.

"I beg your pardon?" Malfoy said, his pureblood manners kicking in.

"I said, it's just really weird for us. The people that we grew up with are married with kids and," he trailed off awkwardly.

"And you haven't even finished seventh year yet," Seamus finished for him.

"And the last time we saw our classmates was in a battle," Ron corrected sadly.

For the first time ever, Harry saw a look akin to pity come across Malfoy's face. The fact that someone as heartless as his childhood bully felt sorry for him was a slap in the face. _You knew your life was a disaster when Draco bloody Malfoy pitied you_ , Harry thought miserably.

"The two of you look exactly like the scrawny gits you were five years ago so that's pretty weird too," Seamus added. "It's bloody bizarre!"

"Language!" Molly tutted just as the shrill whistle of tea kettle broke through the melancholy hanging over them.

Malfoy jumped up from his seat to help her with the tea but she waved him off. "No, no, dear. Go settle down in the living room and I'll bring around the tea."

Harry and Ron exchanged looks before following the two Aurors out of the kitchen. They took the couch and Seamus sat in the armchair by the fire, while Malfoy chose to remain standing. Harry noted that Malfoy had slipped on an emotionless mask, betraying nothing of his thoughts or how he felt. None of the men spoke until Molly had given them each their teacups and had left the room.

"We have a little under an hour to debrief them and apply the glamours," Seamus said after glancing at his watch.

"Glamours? Why do we need glamours?" Ron asked quickly.

Malfoy and Seamus exchanged looks and the latter said, "Well you may not be aware of this but due to your untimely departure from the Wizarding World five years ago, public opinion of you two is at an all time low. That is to say -"

"They hate you," Malfoy cut in impatiently.

"What he said," Seamus finished weakly.

"We knew that already, but why?" Ron cried hotly, looking affronted.

"Everyone believes you betrayed them," Malfoy remarked with a cruel smirk. "As far as the Wizarding World is concerned, the pair of you are cowards who ran away with their tails between their legs."

"You'd know something about that, wouldn't you, Malfoy?" Ron sneered.

"Ron -" Seamus began to say, but the redhead wasn't finished.

"No! Are we really going to sit here and pretend this prat didn't try to kill Dumbledore, let Death Eaters into a school full of children, and then run away like the coward he is? Now he's acting like he's better than us."

"Ah! There it is. I was wondering how long it would take for this to come up. Got anything to add, Potter? Want to bitch about how I stole your glory of being the Saviour who killed the Dark Lord?"

Harry wanted to strangle the arsehole, but the pleased gleam in Malfoy's eyes held him back. That stupid smirk was taunting him to finally snap, but Harry couldn't give him that satisfaction.

"How did you do it? How did you kill Voldemort? The prophecy -"

Malfoy scoffed, "Your bloody prophecy was clearly bullshit. Otherwise, we wouldn't be here with the war behind us."

"Can we please get back to debriefing?" Seamus interrupted loudly, scowling for the first time that morning. "I knew you lot could only be civil for so long."

"I'm not the one who has trouble being professional and has the emotional range of a teaspoon," Malfoy shrugged.

His words brought with them a sobering effect as Harry and Ron exchanged pained glances at the memory of a bushy-haired girl saying those exact words back in fifth year.

"Look let's be professional for the duration of this case and after that we never have to see each other again," Harry mumbled.

Seamus, who'd just taken a sip of his tea, started choking and coughing. Malfoy sighed and lazily waved his wand at his partner, clearing his airway with a wordless spell.

"Thanks," he sputtered with watery eyes.

"We'll be glamouring your appearance because the general public has no idea that you two are back and we want to keep it that way for some time. Kingsley wants to orchestrate your return with the right publicity so there isn't any backlash or danger to your lives," Malfoy explained, his disappointed expression making it obvious he relished the idea of their lives being endangered.

"That makes sense. The Wizarding world can't know about us yet, but why does that mean we can't know anything about the Wizarding world?" Harry sighed.

"What do you mean?" Seamus asked confusedly.

"That wasn't their call. The Healer advised us not to shock you," Molly answered, surprising them as she appeared in the doorway suddenly. "It could set your recovery back and until they know how your body has been affected, they don't want to take risks."

"Speaking of, shall we?" Seamus stood up and turned to his partner questioningly.

It took all of twenty minutes before both Malfoy and Seamus were satisfied with their disguises. Harry's hair was changed into a dull chestnut and smoothed down with a charm Malfoy claimed his mother taught him. They had added a few inches of height to him and made his glasses invisible. His emerald green eyes were now a pale blue. They even gave him slight facial hair and sharpened his cheekbones. Last but not least, where his trademark scar was on his forehead now only had clear skin. Ron, on the other hand, was shortened down to average height and his eyes were changed to dark brown. His distinct Weasley red hair now appeared to be dark brown curls and his skin freckle-less.

"Do you two have clothes that are any less noticeable?" Seamus gestured to the Gryffindor Quidditch t-shirts both boys were wearing.

They nodded and hurried out of the room with ill-disguised relief.

"What happened to playing nice?" Harry hissed as they climbed the stairs.

"I tried, but that smug prat was gloating about the fact that we're pariahs now," Ron retorted, his eyes flashing angrily. "He's loving being the new Saviour and doesn't bother to hide it, don't you see?"

"I know, Ron, I really do. But we can't let him win."

"I can't believe people don't see he's the same old evil Malfoy," Ron complained, throwing open the door to his bedroom.

"We'll make them see. But first we need to keep our heads down and get into the Auror program. We need people to trust us if we're going to have a chance at exposing his true colours," Harry said as he bent over his trunk to shuffle through his belongings.

"We really need to get in touch with Hermione. If anyone can help us pull this off, it's her," Ron said, his voice muffled by the shirt he was pulling over his head.

"You're not wrong there. But until we can see her, we need to find out everything we missed for the past five years. You know Hermione can't say no when presented with thorough research."

* * *

"Thank you for attempting to be civil with them," Molly said as she came to sit with Draco at the table. "I know it's not easy for you. There's a lot of bad blood there."

He dipped his chin in acknowledgement and admitted, "It wouldn't do the investigation any good if we were at each other's throats. I'm a damn good Auror and I won't let two boys with a grudge compromise that."

"They're just having difficulty processing this ordeal. In their cases, they've just come out of a war and the wounds are fresh. They haven't had time to grow and mature in a post-war world where prejudices mean little."

"Have you considered sending them to therapy?" Draco asked cautiously.

"Arthur and I talked about it briefly but we don't know how the boys will take it. I think we're still holding out hope that Saturday will make them realize how much things have changed and that it'll inspire them to move on with their lives."

At his questioning look, she expelled a heavy breath and explained, "They're avoiding the topic of completing their N.E.W.T.s and too many times have I overheard them reminiscing about how things were when they left. Don't get me wrong, they understand that things are different now and anticipate that their friends and family have moved on."

Draco waited quietly, hearing the unsaid 'but' that hung in the air.

"You heard my son. They're clinging to what is familiar and so far, their prejudices are all that they have. Their view of the world is split into good and bad, and now that they are faced with a terrifying new world, they're trying to categorize everything they come across. It's easier that way, I suppose. You're supposed to be an evil Death Eater, but the man they met today defies that label."

"It can't be easy," Draco admitted begrudgingly. "If I were in their shoes, I'd be scared and my head would be spinning with all of this. I sympathize with them, it's hard not to. But, Molly, whenever I look at them, I just see two boys who will tear my world apart. They'll try to take everything that makes my life worth living."

Seamus, who'd been quietly nibbling on a scone in the corner of the room, came forward now and placed a hand on Draco's shoulder.

"Stop being so foolish, Draco. Hermione will straight up _Avada_ anyone who tries to harm her family, no matter who they are. Honestly, I'm more worried about what she'll do to them than anything they could do to either of you," he remarked, a faint smile coming onto his face at the picture his mind conjured up. "But seriously, you're scaring me. Malfoys don't feel fear, remember? It's unbecoming."

It worked, his words enticed a laugh out of the blond and the morose mood in the air lifted.

"Ginny finally owled me last night to let me know they'll be here on Saturday. She said you have a way for her to travel safely in her condition."

Draco nodded and explained, "An international portkey that I got from a contact in Israel. Hermione and I took it when we went to Australia just three months before Scorpius was born. You remember how delicate the pregnancy was? But she was insistent on going so I had to find a way to ensure her complete safety."

"What's Mrs. Malfoy wants, Mrs. Malfoy gets," Seamus snorted.

"Damn straight." Draco grinned.

"Thank you, Draco. My daughter is lucky to have you as a friend."

"She's just lucky Blaise loves her. The idiot is a right arse when she isn't happy, so help them I must," Draco sighed dramatically.

"Yeah, I can see you're all torn up about it," Seamus snickered.

"Mind you, the portkey is a tad bit illegal here in England, but completely untraceable," Draco added.

"An illegal portkey?" Ron questioned, walking into the room just in time to overhear the tail end of their conversation.

Harry stared at Draco disbelievingly. "You're an Auror."

Draco cocked an eyebrow at him. "I'm a Malfoy."

Draco didn't miss the look Harry and Ron shared.

"But surely something like that would be awfully expensive," Molly pointed out.

Draco just shrugged, but when the worried expression on her face didn't fade, he replied, "Regardless I owe those two for looking after Scorpius last weekend."

"That boy is the most Slytherin three year old I've met," Seamus said, shaking his head disbelievingly. "I don't know how your elves didn't quit by now."

"They had practice with me," Draco retorted with a smirk.

"Are you going to stand around gossiping like old witches or are we going to this bloody appointment?" Ron interrupted.

Molly handed both Draco and Seamus wicker baskets with the scones she'd promised before shooing them out of the kitchen. Seamus stepped into the floo first, calling out St. Mungos and disappearing in a green blaze. Ron went next, followed by Harry and then Draco bringing up the rear. Given the early hour, the hospital was not as crowded as Harry had seen it every other time. He paused to look around, recalling the last time he'd been here, which had been to see Mr. Weasley. Harry never thought he'd look back at his fifth year as when things had been uncomplicated, but everything that had followed had been so much worse. At least back then he knew who he was and what his purpose was. Defeat Voldemort. That's all Harry had ever known. Now he was just floating around untethered in a world he didn't understand.

"Mr. Malfoy, so lovely to see you again," the witch at the front desk greeted the blond exuberantly. "Is she expecting you? Should I page her?"

Harry and Ron exchanged confused glances as Draco shook his head quickly and handed the witch a piece of parchment. Her mouth fell open and she looked over at the two of them with wide eyes. She had a hushed conversation with Draco for a moment and then he gestured for them to head to go ahead. Taking the parchment back from her, Draco followed them to the elevator and as the doors closed, Harry watched the now dazed expression on her face.

"The letter from Kingsley was charmed so that she could sign you in for her appointment and then forget about you two after giving it back to Draco," Seamus explained.

"Blimey," Ron breathed out.

"Is it really that dangerous for people to find out we're back?" Harry asked quietly, hesitant about revisiting the conversation that had result in their argument.

"We wouldn't be taking all these precautions if it weren't," Draco replied shortly.

The mediwitch had Ron go into the examination room first, while Harry and Seamus sat in the waiting room. Draco had disappeared almost immediately after speaking to the mediwitch.

Seamus excused himself to the bathroom and Harry nodded absentmindedly, his attention on the people walking past this ward. He studied the crowds of patients and staff walking past the waiting room, narrowing his eyes at a bushy mane of hair he'd recognize anywhere. It was silkier than he remembered but there was no doubt that it belonged to Hermione Granger.

Scrambling to his feet, he rushed to catch up with her as she hurried away.

"Hermione!" He called out, not caring that he was drawing attention to himself. "Hermione, wait up!"

Recognizing the voice she hadn't heard in years, the slim woman froze in her steps and turned slowly with wide eyes. At the sight of his unfamiliar appearance, confusion coloured her stricken expression and her mouth fell open. She struggled to voice the questions that were no doubt overwhelming her, but he hurled into her arms before she could.

"It's me, Hermione. It's Harry," he whispered excitedly.

"Harry?" She breathed out in a strangled voice and slowly raised her arms to hug him back. She wrapped her arms around his back tentatively, as if unsure that he was real.

"Yeah, it's me. The Aurors put glamours on us, but it's really me. I can't believe you're here. We missed you so much! It's been shite without you honestly."

"I missed you too," she replied in a teary voice and hugged him to herself tightly. "It's been so long since I've heard your voice. Where's Ron?"

"He's in with the Healer. He's been dying to see you too!"

"I can't believe you're back. You're really back," she breathed out, more to herself than him.

"I'm here, Hermione. I swear I'm really here. I know you must think all sorts of things about me, but I didn't abandon you. Neither of us did. You have to believe me," he rushed to get out when her disbelief didn't give way to joy. "I would never leave when -"

Harry jumped away with a start when her wand beeped loudly and vibrated rapidly in short bursts.

"Ah! I'm sorry. I have to go. My patient…." She trailed off. "I'm so glad to see you. I really missed you, Harry."

"You're a Healer then?" he confirmed, gesturing to her green robes with the St. Mungos logo stitched on.

She nodded with a bright smile.

"I didn't expect that, but I can tell it suits you. I have no doubt you're amazing at it too."

"That's sweet of you to say, Harry," she said as her smile dropped fractionally with her next words, "Give Ron my love. I can't wait to see you both at the Burrow this weekend."

"Wait! Can you wait for Ron really quick? He'll be out any second now. He's been wanting to owl you since we came home. Both of us did."

"Harry, I really need to go," she said with a frown.

"Then meet us in thirty minutes? Surely they'll let you take a quick five minute break? Say you've got to grab coffee or a fag. Please, Hermione."

When she looked like she was about to refuse again, he added, "Last time we saw you was five years ago in the middle of a battle. We didn't know if you lived or died."

Her resolve crumbled and she gave him a pained nod.

"Meet me at the entrance in half an hour. I'll only be able to slip away long enough to say hello."

He nodded eagerly and watched her walk away, feeling lighter than he had in months.

* * *

She pushed open the door to her office and smiled weakly at the man sitting on the edge of her desk. He took one look at her red eyes and pulled her into his arms.

"I missed them so much," she whispered into his collar. "I - I didn't even realize h - how - how much until I saw them."

"I know, baby," he said quietly.

Pulling back, she peered up at him with wide eyes and furrowed brows. "You didn't tell them anything, did you?"

He shook his head and gently tugged her bottom lip out from between her teeth.

"All they know is that I'm married and I have two sons. Weasley dismissed my marriage as a typical pureblood arrangement right away. We were all careful not to mention your name."

"I hate all this waiting. It's the not knowing that sucks. Why can't we just tell them everything and let them yell it out from the other side of a strong _silencio_ before slipping them a calming drought," she muttered petulantly.

"You know why, darling," he reminded her softly. "Arthur and Molly reckon this way they can witness our loving relationship before they have the chance to make judgements."

She nodded forlornly and then asked, "What're they doing here?"

"They have a follow-up appointment with their Healer. Kingsley doesn't want to risk their return going public at the moment so we're escorting them. I didn't know about the appointment until I got into the office. I'm sorry. I would've warned you if I could."

She shook her head, her curls swinging around her face as she did. "It was bound to happen. I love it when you're so protective."

"Always," he said softly before kissing her. "Don't you know? I'm crazy about you, darling."

"Even if I tell you I agreed to meet Ron after Harry's appointment?" she confirmed, peeking up at him shyly.

Draco sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he nodded reluctantly.

"Even then," he replied quietly. "But you have ten minutes while I talk to their Healer."

She nodded quickly. "I'll be gone long before then, I promise."

Leaning back against the edge of the desk, he folded his arms across his chest and stared at her pensively. She recognized the look immediately, placing a hand on his elbow as she reassured him, "I'll be fine, I promise. I can handle it."

Two blueberry scones and half an hour later, she cursed under her breath and prayed to Merlin that she was right. Draco was already at the end of his thread and another breakdown from her would send him over the edge. He needed her strength now more than ever, her courage being the kindle to his flame that kept him going.

She could see two figures huddled by the water cooler off to the side of the entrance, one of whom she recognized as the glamoured Harry from earlier. The man next to him was unrecognizable by first glance, but his voice was all Ron Weasley when he caught sight of her and cried out, "'Mione!"

"Hermione, it's so good to see you," Ron breathed out, burying his face in her hair as he hugged her tightly. "I was so worried something had happened to you after we left."

"Me? You're the one who's been gone for five years. You can't imagine what a relief it is to see you after all this time," she said softly. "The two of you gave us quite the scare."

"Damn! You look so different," he remarked, stepping back to take her in, head to toe. "It's good. You look amazing."

"It's the old age," she laughed. "I guess I'm six years older than you two now."

"Bloody hell," Ron grumbled, but he was grinning widely.

"Can you imagine how shocked we were when not only had so much time passed but you weren't anywhere to find?" Harry said as he pulled her in for a hug. The faint scent of blueberry scones clung to her subtle perfume and reminded him so much of old times at the Burrow that his eyes began to water.

Hermione grimaced, "Sorry about that, boys. I was in Greece for the week you two returned and then work has kept me busy."

"You're here now. That's all that matters," Ron shrugged. "So you're a Healer? Blimey, Hermione, didn't expect it but I imagine you're damn amazing at it."

"Yeah, what happened to helping the house elves and changing the werewolf regulations?" Harry asked, only half teasing.

"I promise we'll sit down and talk about all that's changed this weekend. I'm sorry, but I've got to go. My boss only let me go for a few minutes," she replied when she caught sight of Draco and Seamus stepping out of the elevator.

"Yeah, we can tell you all about how bloody bizarre it is having Draco sodding Malfoy as the Auror heading our case," Harry muttered darkly, following her line of sight, while Ron shook his head in agreement.

Biting down on her bottom lip, she gave them both quick hugs and waved over of her shoulder as she hurried away in the opposite direction from her husband.

* * *

 _So today, December 1st, is my birthday and I decided to celebrate by posting this chapter! I hope you liked the first meeting with Harry and Ron. The drama has yet to unfold._ _  
_ _Please leave me your thoughts on the chapter in the reviews and if anything, do it as a birthday present to me haha._


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